Abstract:
This study was undertaken to assess dietary CP and ME
concentrations for optimum growth performance and carcass
characteristics of helmeted guinea fowl(Numidia meleagris)
meat. The nutrition of impact on performance, carcass quality,
meat quality attributes , sensory characteristics, and nutritive
value of guinea fowl meat was studied.
A total number of 150 day old guinea fowl Keets were
randomly assigned to five pens .The five groups were offered
starter' mash for adaptation and provided water ad. lib. until 10
days of age. Five Experimental diets were formulated as
A(20.5% CP , 2990 kcal ME) ,B(high protein 26% :high
energy3150 kcal),C (high protein26%: low energy2800 kcal),D
(low protein 16% :high energy3150 kcal)and E (low protein 15%
:low energy2750 kcal) .Diet A served as the control ration .
Feeding extended for 7 weeks during which performance
parameters were recorded. At the end of the feeding period, five
birds from each group were randomly weighed and slaughtered
and carcass and meat quality attributes were assessed.
The final live weight in groups B (656.82±0.01) and
C(735.11 ±0.01) and the weight gain in group B (600.98+0.01)
and C (678.98+0.01) were not significantly (P>0.05) higher than
the other treatment groups. Feed intake in group
D(917.47+0.010) was not significantly lower than the other
groups .Feed conversation ratio (FCR) of group D(3.035 +0.007)
and E (3.06 +0.003) were similar . There was no significant
difference (P>0.05)no variations in dressing-out percentages
between the control (72.5±0.9) and the test groups except for
group D(69.8±0.72).
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