Feeding Maintenance Diet During Unproductive Season and Effects on Ensuing Productive Season with Restored Layer Diet: Egg Production and Cost Savings of Pearl Breeder Guinea Fowls

Fritz Bonsu

Objective: This study investigated the effect of feeding a maintenance diet during the lean season after the first productive laying season on the productivity and cost savings of Guinea fowls in the second season. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two Pearl Guinea fowls, aged 70 weeks, were allotted to four treatments with three replicates each. A completely randomised design with a 2×2 factorial pattern was used. Each replicate included five Guinea hens and one Guinea cock. Parameters measured included productive characteristics, blood profile and feed cost analysis. Data were analysed using the General Linear Model procedure of Statistical Analysis System (SAS). Results: Results indicated that during the lean season, daily feed intake was significantly (p<0.001) higher (93.19 g/bird) for Guinea fowls fed the maintenance diet compared to those on the normal layer diet (85.15 g/bird). During the second productive season, daily feed intake was higher for the normal layer diet. The next laying season delayed by seven days for the maintenance diet. Egg production was not significantly affected (p>0.05) by diet but egg weight was higher (p = 0.036) for the maintenance diet with eggshell thickness decreasing by 12.5%. Haematological characteristics were generally non-significant but biochemical parameters were higher (p<0.05) for the normal diet. Feeding a maintenance diet during the lean season reduced feed costs by 13%. Conclusion: The study concluded that feeding a maintenance diet during the lean season did not adversely affect the productive performance of Guinea hens in the subsequent production season but could reduce eggshell thickness. Feeding a maintenance diet (14-15% CP) during the lean season and a switch to a layer diet two weeks before the next laying season is recommended for cost savings and profitability.

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