Changes in guinea fowl fertility and hatching traits over a 4-month laying season with long-term egg storage conditions

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1 Indian J. Anim. Res., 49 (4) 2015 : Print ISSN: / Online ISSN: AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE Changes in guinea fowl fertility and hatching traits over a 4-month laying season with long-term egg storage conditions Umut Sami Yamak*, Mehmet Akif Boz 1 and Musa Sarica Ondokuz Mayis University, Agricultural Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Samsun, Turkey. Received: Accepted: DOI: / ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the effect of age on different reproductive traits of guinea fowl. A total of 350 female and 150 male guinea fowl were reared in a semi-intensive system. The birds were naturally mated, and eggs were collected for incubation in 6 batches beginning at 40 weeks. A total of 8,123 eggs were incubated between weeks of age. The incubation period was 28 days. As a result of this study, the overall mean egg weight was g, and the mean keet weight was g. The mean fertility rate was 58.46%, the hatching rate was 80.53%, and the incubation yield was 47.01%. Fertility, hatching rate and incubation yield varied significantly by age (P<0.01). Evaluation of embryonic mortalities in unhatched eggs showed that late-period embryonic mortality increased with age (P<0.01). The overall rate of injured and dead keets per hatch basket was 1.93%, with a significantly higher rate (4.44%) in the eggs collected between weeks. (P<0.01). Key words: Embryonic mortality, Fertility, Guinea Fowl, Hatching rate, Incubation. INTRODUCTION Guinea fowl are raised mainly for meat and egg production and hobby purposes (Joubert, 1980). In Africa, guinea fowl production has cultural significance as a traditional activity (Konlan et al., 2011), and guinea fowl meat and eggs are second to chicken eggs and meat in terms of poultry product consumption (Bernacki et al., 2013). The relatively high resistance of guinea fowl to poultry diseases has made them attractive to farmers in some parts of the world (Joubert, 1980), and the higher protein (23% vs 21%) and lower fat content (4% vs 7%) of guinea fowl meat in comparison to chicken (Nsoso et al., 2003) has spurred the production of guinea fowl as an alternative poultry enterprise, not only in developing countries (Nahashon et al., 2006), but in a number of European countries as well, particularly in France, Belgium and Scandinavia (Baeza et al., 2001). Moreover, guinea fowl are also kept for insect and rodent control, as the birds consume large quantities of insects, but do very little damage to gardens, and the loud calls of the fowl discourage rodents (Jacob and Pescatore, 2011). Guinea fowls are mainly reared under extensive or semi-intensive systems (Karacay and Sarica, 2004; Kusina et al., 2012;), which, when compared to intensive systems, offer a number of advantages to producers, especially in developing countries. Their adaptability to different environmental conditions makes them attractive to farmers looking to raise small flocks in their yards under free-range production systems characterized by very low inputs, albeit low productivity as well (Moreki and Radikara, 2013). The low total number of eggs collected in free-range systems may be attributed to various causes (Gueye, 2007), and with demand increasing for guinea fowl products, the need for guinea fowl eggs for hatching purposes has gained in importance, which has in turn led to changes in breeding strategies (Ogah, 2011). Reports on the age of sexual maturity of guinea fowl hens vary. Bernacki et al., (2013) reported the age of sexual maturity to be between weeks, whereas Hien (2002) found the onset of laying to be between weeks, and Ayorinde et al. (1989) found that laying did not begin until 42 weeks of age. The onset of laying may vary according to guinea fowl variety, location, season and management-related factors. Breeding and management also have an effect on the number of eggs laid. Conventionally floor-reared breeders have reported to lay between eggs per season (Hayes, 1987); however, a carefully managed hen of good stock may *Corresponding author s usyamak@omu.edu.tr. 1 Bozok University, Faculty of Nature and Agricultural Sciences, Department of Animal Science Yozgat, Turkey.

2 Volume 49 Issue 4 (August 2015) 533 lay 100 or more eggs per year, with one study (Avornyo et al., 2007) reporting an average of eggs per hen over a 36-to-40-week laying period for guinea fowl raised in cages. Guinea fowl eggs require an incubation period of days (Jacob and Pescatore, 2011), and hatchability rates have been reported to be between 65%-70% (Bernacki et al., 2013; Konlan et al., 2011; Avornyo et al., 2007). The majority of studies related to guinea fowl focus on growth performance, meat quality and egg production, with only limited research into hatching results over an entire laying season. Therefore, this study assessed egg weight, fertility, hatching rate, embryonic mortality, incubation yield and keet weight for guinea fowl eggs incubated in 6 different batches between the ages of weeks. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was conducted at the Turkish Ministry of Forest and Water Affairs Yozgat Partridge Breeding Station between March-June The breeding flock consisted of 350 female and 150 male guinea fowls. Birds were reared in a 50 m² house until the start of laying, after which time they were given access to 150 m² free-range space surrounded by a 2-meter-high metal wire fence. Breeders were fed ad libidum commercial corn and soybean based chicken layer feed (145g CP, 11.5 MJ ME, 10g Ca, 4g P, 6.5g Lysine, 3g methionine per kg). Beginning at 40 weeks of age, eggs were collected daily for incubation. Eggs were placed in a storage machine and kept at 18 C and 70%-80% relative humidity for up to 13 days in order to obtain sufficient numbers for incubation. A total of eggs were incubated in 6 batches (42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52 Weeks). The total incubation period was 28 days. Eggs were incubated for 25 days in an incubation machine set at 37.5 C and 60% relative humidity and then transferred to a hatching machine set at 36.5 C and 70% relative humidity. Prior to incubation, 200 eggs per batch were individually weighed using a scale sensitive to 0.01 g. For each batch, fertility rate was calculated as the ratio of fertile eggs to total eggs; hatching rate was calculated as the ratio of hatched keets to fertile eggs; and incubation yield was calculated as the ratio of hatched keets to total eggs. Following hatching, 100 keets from each batch were weighed; the number of crippled and dead chickens in the hatching baskets were recorded; and all unhatched eggs were broken open to identify fertility and stage of development at death. Embryonic death stage was classified as early (1-7 days), middle (8-20 days), or late (21-28 days) (Sarica et. al., 2003). All traits were evaluated by one-way ANOVA. Fertility, hatching rate, incubation yield and embryonic mortalities were calculated by tray and by hatching basket, with each tray/hatching basket considered to be 1 replicate. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Laying started at 36 weeks of age, at which time the flock s total egg production was 2.78%. At 40 weeks, production reached 15.02%, and egg collection for incubation was initiated. The laying rates at different ages are given in Table 1. The mean egg yield per hen for the laying season was 32.7; mean egg weight and keet weight for the production season were g and g respectively. Changes in egg and keet weights by age are given in Table 2. The mean egg fertility rate was 58.46%, hatchability was 81.06%, and the mean incubation yield was 47.47%. Early-, middle- and late-period embryonic mortality rates were 1.65%, 2.15% and 5.71%, respectively for the total laying period, and 1.93% of hatched keets were crippled or dead at hatching. Fertility, incubation yield, embryonic mortality and crippled/dead keet ratios at different ages are given in Table 3. TABLE 1: Laying percentages of the flock at different ages. AGE (weeks) Mean P SEM % egg production 2.78f 6.84f 15.02e 26.49d 45.05ab 47.54a 41.30b 35.69c 34.63c Different letters in the same column indicate significant differences (P < 0.01) TABLE 2: Mean egg and keet weights at different ages. AGE (weeks) Total P SEM Egg weight (g) 38.87c 40.48a 39.53b 40.54a 40.52a 39.95ab Keet weight (g) 22.53d 25.10c 24.91c 26.17a 25.51bc 25.87ab Different letters in the same column indicate significant differences (P < 0.01)

3 534 INDIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL RESEARCH TABLE 3: Reproductive traits of guinea fowl at different ages. AGE( weeks) Total P SEM Fertility % 59.57b 53.47c 50.49c 60.21b 59.15b 68.83a Hatching rate % 86.20a 82.13b 82.45b 81.74b 75.83c 78.00c Incubation yield % 51.39ab 43.98c 41.67c 49.23b 44.78c 53.75a EM1 % 2.16a 1.24c 1.64ab 1.56ab 2.17a 1.33c EM2 % 0.93d 1.93bc 2.66ab 1.32cd 3.34a 2.04bc EM3 % 4.17c 5.48b 3.49c 6.52ab 6.43ab 7.27a Injured/dead keets % 0.93cd 0.85d 1.02cd 1.59c 2.43b 4.44a Different letters in the same column indicate significant differences (P < 0.01; *P<0.05) EM1:Early period embryonic mortality; EM2: Middle period embryonic mortality; EM3: Late period embryonic mortality The mean egg yield per hen in this study was lower than the mean egg yields reported for previous studies. Bernacki et al., (2013) reported average egg production for different varieties of guinea fowl to be eggs per season; Konlan et al., (2011) reported egg production per hen to be 100 eggs for a nine-month period; and Avornyo et al., (2007) reported egg production to be over 200 eggs per hen. The comparatively low rate found in the present study can be explained by the differences in egg-production periods; whereas most previous studies (Konlan et al, 2011; Bernacki et al., 2013) had an egg-production period of about six to nine months, in our study, egg collection ended after about four months. This was necessary because the breeding station where the study was conducted provides guinea fowl to farmers for insect control and planned on breeding the keets during the summer, the optimal time for successful growth in farm conditions. Another factor that could have contributed to the low production rate is the parent stock, which was not selected for reproductive traits or egg production. Additionally, total egg production is affected by production system, with freerange production reported to have relatively low production yields. For example, Dei and Karbo (2004) reported eggs as the upper limit of egg production of guinea fowl in free-range systems. The same study reported a laying rate of 35% after 42 weeks of age. Similarly, Konlan et al., (2011) found a laying rate of 37% over a nine-month production period. It is also possible that the overall laying rate found in our study would have been higher with a 9-month production period rather than a 4-month production period. In the present study, hens reached peak production at weeks of age (Table 1), which coincided with June. Bernacki et al., (2013) also found peak production of guinea fowls in Europe to occur in June. Mean egg weight in the present study was g. Although significant differences were found in egg weights at different ages (Table 2, P<0.01), there was no regular increase or decrease in line with age which was similar to the findings of Oke et. al., (2004). Egg weights in the present study were similar to Kuzniacka et al., (2004), Brijesh et al.,(2008), Bernacki et al., (2013), who reported mean egg weights of 40.1 g, g and 40.7 g, respectively. However, Wilkanowska and Kokoszynski (2010) reported a higher mean egg weight (46.5 g) and a lower mean egg weight (39.2 g) for different guinea fowl varieties. Also, Nowaczewski et al., (2013) found difference between the egg weights of two Guinea Fowl flocks (55.3 vs 40.7 g). Royter (1980) found that eggs weighing between g at the start of incubation had the best hatching results. Egg weights in the present study also fell between these limits. Feed is an important on egg weight. Feeding the guinea fowls with higher nutrients will increase the weight of eggs age (weeks) FIG 1: Egg and keet weight, by age age (weeks) egg weight (g) keet weight (g) Fertility (%) Hatching rate (%) Incubation yield (%) FIG 2: Fertility, hatching rate and incubation yield, by age

4 Volume 49 Issue 4 (August 2015) 535 Mean keet weight at hatch in the present study was 25.0 g, and differences in keet weight at hatch for different ages correlated with the differences in egg weights (Figure 1). The mean egg fertility rate in the present study was 58.46% (Table 3) and tended to increase with age (Figure 2). Bernacki et al., (2013) reported fertility rates of different guinea fowl varieties to range between 85.2%-91.7%, and Royter and Arutyunyan (1990) found an overall fertility rate of around 65%. Agbolosu et al., (2012) found fertility to be affected by weather conditions and geographical position, with mean rates at similar ages ranging between 43%-74%. The storage of eggs prior to incubation could also have contributed to the relatively low fertility rate in the present study. The mean egg hatchability rate in the present study was 81.06% (Table 3), with significant differences in hatching rates by age (P<0.01). As Figure 2 shows, hatching rates were higher at earlier ages, although hatchability at all ages was within acceptable limits. Royter and Arutyunyan (1990) reported hatchability ranging between 45%-50% in naturally mated guinea fowls. Moreki and Mothei (2013) examined hatchability of guinea fowl eggs according to weight and found that medium-size eggs (39-42 g) had the highest hatchability rate (69%). Although the mean egg weight in our study (39.98 g) falls within this classification, our study had a higher overall hatchability rate. Our rate was also higher than Gueye (2007), who reported hatchability to be 72.9%. The rate of hatchability is affected by various factors. Malefemale ratio and nutrition of parents, egg storage conditions are important to get higher hatcing rates. In the current study, all conditions were applied for getting optimum hatching rate and resulted with higher hatchability. Mean incubation yield in our study was 47.47%. This was due in part to the lower fertility rate. Incubation yields varied significantly by age (Table 3) and showed a correlation with fertility rates (Figure 2). Embryonic mortalities were examined and classified in three stages as early, middle and late. Late-period deaths accounted for the majority of embryonic mortalities (5.71%), followed by middle (2.15%) and early (1.65%) embryonic deaths (Table 3). Late-period embryonic mortality increased at older ages. The overall embryonic mortality rate was lower than the rate found by Moreki and Mothei (2013), who found an overall embryonic mortality rate of 15.25%-20%, but higher than Bernacki et al., (2013), who reported rates between 4.96%-5.70%. The ratio of injured or dead keets to total keets in hatching baskets was 1.93%. This rate varied significantly by age (P<0.01), increasing at older ages, and reaching a rate of 4.44% for the last incubation batch. As an alternative poultry species, guinea fowl offer a number of advantages, particularly for small flock holders in rural areas; however, production is hampered by problems related to reproductive traits. In particular, low fertility and hatching rates have a negative effect on the number of keets per incubation batch, despite adequate mean egg production rates per hen. Konlan and Avornyo (2013) have reported that presence of water resources can increase the fertility and hatchability of guinea fowl eggs. More studies should be conducted to investigate ways of improving reproductive traits. This study found that guinea fowl fertility rates tended to increase with age, whereas hatching rates tended to decrease. Most previous studies have been conducted with limited numbers of eggs, whereas this study was conducted at a breeding station using a total of eggs, which supports the reliability of the study findings. 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