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
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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).
Meat quality parameters of selected cuts were not significantly
(P>0.05) similar in colour. Water holding capacity of group B
(1.537±1.03) and E (2.22±0.10) were not significantly(P>0.05)
different higher than the control and test groups, while water
holding capacity of group C(0.88±0.11) was the lower one
(P>0.05).Cooking loss in group D(22.85±3.28) was significantly
different (P<0.01) higher than the test groups. Shear force in
groups D (3.009±0.1)
and E (3.57±0.32) were not significantly (P>0.05) different
higher than the control and the test groups .
There were also non-significant (P>0.05) differences in the
sensory evaluations among the control and test group.
Blood parameters including Hb, PCV, and WBCs
counts were also studied in guinea fowl with resultant not
significant differences (P>0.05) between the groups. The normal
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values of Alkaline phosphates (ALP), Creatine kinase (CK) ,
Aspartate amino-transaminase (AST) ,Lactate dehydrogenase
(LDH ), blood sugars ,creatinine ,total protein ,total albumin, and
the minerals sodium, phosphor ,calcium and potassium were
determined in the sera of the birds. The changes in these
parameters remained within normal ranges and could be
considered not significant.
The results of this study indicated that good efficiency
gain was observed when feeding guinea fowl concentrate ration
with 26% CP and 2800kcal/kg ME. till eight weeks of age
