Effects of housing systems on reproductive and physiological response of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris)

A study was carried out to investigate the effects of housing systems on reproductive and physiological response of guinea fowl. A total number of 600 hatching eggs were obtained from a reputable Farms in Nigeria. The hatched keets were distributed to different housing systems viz: free range, deep litter and battery cage. A total number of 117 female guinea fowl were selected from the flock and divided into the three housing systems with three replicate having 13 birds each. Twelve birds in each treatment group at week 32 were killed and then dissected for determination of the weights of the reproductive apparatus. Rectal temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate and gastrointestinal tract weights were also taken. Results showed that ovary weights of the birds on the free range (6.07g) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of the deep litter (5.20g) while the weights of the birds in the deep litter was higher(P < 0.05) than that of the ovaries of the birds raised in the battery cage (4.15g). A similar trend was also observed in the number of large yellow follicles of the birds. The rectal temperature of the birds reared in battery cages (42.21) was higher (P <0.05) than those of deep litter (40.84) and free range (40.27) while there was a similarity in the birds on free range and deep litter. The results clearly showed that rearing guinea fowl on free range improved the reproductive and physiological performance of the birds.