IN CAPTIVITY PERFORMANCE OF GUINEA FOWL (Numida meleagris )FED DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PROTIEN AND ENERGY

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 X 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 XI 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