Internatinal Jurnal f Pultry Science 10 (7): 547-551, 2011 ISSN 1682-8356 Asian Netwrk fr Scientific Infrmatin, 2011 Cmparisn f Egg Prductin Perfrmance and Egg Quality Traits f Pearl and Black Strains f Guinea Fwl in a Humid Rain-Frest Zne f Nigeria O.M. Obike, U.K. Oke and K.E. Azu Department f Animal Breeding and Physilgy, Michael Okpara University f Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Abia State, Nigeria Abstract: Data n 272 eggs cllected frm Pearl (175 eggs) and Black (97 eggs) adult guinea fwl strains were analyzed t determine the egg prductin perfrmance and egg quality characteristics f the birds. Data generated were analyzed using Student s t-test. The external egg quality traits measured were egg weight, egg length, egg width, shell weight, shell thickness and egg shape index. Internal egg quality traits studied include egg mass, ylk weight, ylk height, ylk diameter, ylk index, albumen weight, albumen height and albumen diameter and albumen index. The prductin perfrmance traits measured were egg number and Hen-Day Prductin (HDP). In additin, weekly bdy weight f the hens was als recrded. Egg number was significantly (p<0.05) different between the tw strains. The mean values were 22.71±0.30 and 12.84±0.29, respectively fr Pearl and Black. Althugh there was n significant difference (p>0.05) between HDP f the tw strains, the Black strain had higher HDP in all the weeks except in weeks 1, 5 and 6. Amng the internal traits, albumen diameter differed significantly (p<0.05) between Pearl and Black with mean values f 61.27±2.02 mm and 66.97±1.20 mm, respectively. Effect f strain was nt bserved fr all the ther egg traits measured. Hwever, the significant difference (p<0.05) bserved fr egg number and albumen diameter between the strains suggests at least sme degree f genetic dissimilarity, which implies that the strains culd be used t imprve egg prductin and egg quality characteristics f guinea fwl in the study regin. Key wrds: Guinea fwl, egg quality traits, egg number, albumen diameter, strain INTRODUCTION Animal prtein deficiency, particularly amng the rural ppulace, has remained an issue f cncern in develping cuntries. The need, therefre, t evaluate the prductin ptentials f any prmising animal species fr increased supply f animal prtein in these regins is pertinent. Guinea fwl, which is indigenus t Africa where the shrtage f animal prtein is mst acute (Ocheja et al., 2010), is ne f such prmising specie. This indigenus specie makes significant cntributins t animal prtein availability in Nigeria thrugh cheap meat and eggs which serve as buffer t shrtages f pultry prducts. This, in turn, prvides sustenance t the rural ppulace which is mstly dminated by pr and lw-incme earners. In crrbratin, Ayrinde (2004) stated that guinea fwl is secnd t the dmestic fwl in terms f number and supply f pultry prtein in Nigeria. Hwever, as with ther indigenus species little r n attentin has been paid t their cnservatin and imprvement which accrding t Drucker et al. (2001) leads t gradual lss f indigenus animal genetic resurces. Being native t Africa, guinea fwl pssess valuable adaptive genetic ptentials and yield valuable prducts under lw input agriculture typical f rural Nigeria. With regard t number, a larger ppulatin f guinea fwl is fund mstly in the nrthern regin f Nigeria. This calls fr systematic effrt t cnserve, sustainably manage and imprve these birds in ther regins, like the rain-frest zne wing t their ecnmic imprtance. Such effrt wuld be assumed timely since there seems t be an upsurge f interest in the prductin f guinea fwl in the zne. In this regard, evaluatin f the egg prductin perfrmance, external and internal egg qualities f the guinea fwl will nt nly be useful as a selectin criterin but will als enhance ecnmic decisins fr intending backyard and/r cmmercial guinea fwl prducers in this regin. In pultry, efficiency f prductin and prfitability depends largely n characters like fertility, egg number, hatchability and egg quality traits amng thers (Balvir et al., 2000; Yahaya et al., 2009). Wlc and Olri (2009) reprted that the dam was the main surce f genetic variatin in hatchability f fertile eggs, suggesting a huge impact f egg quality traits. These crrbrated the reprt that many characteristics f egg quality have a genetic basis (Stadelman, 1977). This implies that egg quality traits can be imprved genetically thrugh knwledge f their genetic variability. Egg quality reflects thse egg characteristics that determines it acceptability Crrespnding Authr: O.M. Obike, Department f Animal Breeding and Physilgy, Michael Okpara University f Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Abia State, Nigeria 547
t cnsumers (Sng et al., 2000; Stadelman, 1977). The eggs f chicken have been widely studied fr its external and internal traits whereas such infrmatin are nt well dcumented fr ther pultry species including guinea fwl, particularly in their native cuntries like Nigeria. It is t this effect that this study was undertaken t cmpare the egg prductin perfrmance and egg quality traits f tw strains f guinea fwl in a humid rainfrest zne f Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was carried ut at the Pultry Unit f the Teaching and Research farm f Michael Okpara University f Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. Umudike lies n latitude 05 29 N and lngitude 07 33 E. It is n an elevatin f 122 m abve sea level and is lcated in the trpical rain-frest zne f Nigeria. This zne is characterized by annual rainfall f abut 2177 mm, mnthly ambient temperature range f 22-32 C and relative humidity f 50-95% depending n the seasn. A base ppulatin f 45 adult guinea fwls cmprising f 30 Pearl and 15 Black strains were used t generate the eggs. The parent stcks were btained frm Zaria in Kaduna State f Nigeria which is lcated in the nrthern regin. The birds were kept fr an adaptin perid f 3 weeks, during which they were given multivitamins, antibitics and piperazine prphylactic dses. The Pearl strain was replicated 6 times while the Black strain had Int. J. Pult. Sci., 10 (7): 547-551, 2011 Table 1: Mating scheme and ttal numbers f eggs laid by Pearl and Black strain N. f N. f N. f Mating type hens ccks eggs laid Pearl x Pearl 24 6 175 Black x Black 12 3 97 Ttal 36 9 272 Table 2: Cmpsitin f feed fr the experimental birds Feed ingredients Percentage inclusin (%) Maize 20.76 Maize ffal 20.77 Wheat ffal 13.85 Palm Kernel Cake (PKC) 13.85 Grundnut Cake (GNC) 21.57 Bne meal 2.50 Limestne 6.00 Salt 0.25 Vitamin premix 0.25 Lysine 0.10 Methinine 0.10 Ttal 100.00 CP (%) = 18, Energy (ME Mj/kg) = 10.36 the methd f Heiman and Carver (1936) while ylk index was estimated by the methd f Funk (1948). All the ther traits were measured with the aid f a venier caliper. The egg shell thickness was measured at the middle and at each end f the egg and the mean f the three sides estimated. The number f eggs cllected per week was als 3 replicates, all with a rati f 1 guinea cck: 4 guinea recrded as well as the weekly bdy weight f the hens. hens. The mating system invlved pure breeding using Percent Hen-day Prductin (HDP) was als calculated natural methd. Table 1 indicates the mating scheme as the number f eggs prduced per week divided by the and ttal numbers f eggs laid by each strain. The birds number f birds alive in each week. i.e. were reared n deep litter pens and fed cmpunded layers mash cntaining 18% CP and 10.36 ME Mj/kg Number f eggs laid per week HDP (%) = x100 (Table 2). Water and feed were given ad libitum Number f hens alive x Number f days thrughut the perid f study. Eggs were cllected daily fr 8 weeks. Hwever, external Data generated were analyzed using SAS (2001) egg quality traits f the tw strains were measured n a sftware package. The significance f differences weekly basis. The external traits measured include, between guinea fwl strains regarding egg quality traits individual Egg Weight (EWT), Egg Length (ELT), Egg were determined using Student s t-test and statistical Width (EW), Shell Weight (SWT), Shell Thickness (STK) differences were established at the level f p<0.05. The and Egg Shape Index (ESI). Fr the internal egg quality cefficients f variatin f the traits between the tw traits, a ttal f 48 and 32 eggs frm Pearl and Black, strains were als calculated. respectively were randmly sampled and used t estimate the traits between the strains. The internal RESULTS traits were measured daily as the eggs were picked. T The means, standard deviatin and cefficient f measure the internal traits, each sampled egg was first variatin f individual live weight f the hens and the brken ut gently in a petri dish and readings taken with number f eggs prduced are presented in Table 3. an apprpriate apparatus. The internal egg quality traits Frm the result, nly Egg Number (EN) was statistically measured were Egg Mass (EM), Ylk Weight (YWT), Ylk significant (p<0.05) between the tw guinea fwl strains. Height (YHT), Ylk Diameter (YD), Ylk Index (YI), The Pearl laid higher number f eggs cmpared t the Albumen Weight (AWT), Albumen Height (AHT), Albumen Black. The result is in line with the numerical values Diameter (AD) and Albumen Index (AI). Egg weight, shell btained frm Pearl and Black (175 vs 97) (Table 1), weight, ylk weight and albumen weight were measured respectively. t the nearest 0.01 g with an electrnic balance. Egg The hen-day prductin (HDP) (%) f the tw strains f shape index and albumen index were cmputed using guinea fwl is shwn in Fig. 1. There was n significant 548
Table 3: Means ± SE, standard deviatin and Cefficient f Table 5: Means±SE f internal egg quality traits f Pearl and Variatin (CV) fr hens live bdyweight (kg) and egg Black strains f guinea fwl number Strain Trait Mean±SE SD CV(%) Strain Trait Means±SE SD CV (%) Pearl EM 29.01±1.05 5.94 20.48 Pearl Bdy weight 1.29±0.01 0.12 9.31 YWT (g) 12.42±0.28 1.61 12.96 Egg number a 22.71±0.30 3.93 17.30 YHT (mm) 13.09±0.39 2.23 17.04 Black Bdy weight 1.29±0.02 0.13 9.77 YD (mm) 37.29±0.58 3.29 8.82 Egg number b 12.84±0.29 2.86 22.28 YI (%) 38.90±1.03 6.32 16.25 AWT (g) 17.38±0.20 2.23 12.83 Table 4: Means±SE f external egg quality traits f Pearl and Black strains f guinea fwl AHT (mm) 7.30±0.21 1.20 16.44 Strain Traits Means±SE SD CV (%) Pearl EWT(g) 37.67±0.27 3.53 9.38 ELT (mm) 46.84±0.21 2.72 5.80 EW (mm) 36.60±0.10 1.27 3.48 SWT (g) 7.27±0.30 1.68 23.11 STK (mm) 0.43±0.04 0.24 55.81 ESI (%) 78.46±0.54 7.11 9.06 Black EWT (g) 37.91±0.39 3.81 10.06 ELT (mm) 47.40±0.27 2.62 5.53 EW (mm) 36.83±0.15 1.46 5.53 SWT (g) 7.12±0.32 1.81 25.42 STK (mm) 0.41±0.21 0.21 51.21 ESI (%) 78.14±0.52 5.08 6.50 ab Means with different superscripts alng the same clumn are significantly different (p<0.05). EN = Egg Number, EWT = Egg Weight, ELT = Egg Length, EW = Egg Width, SWT = Shell Weight, STK = Shell Thickness, ESI = Egg Shell Index Fig. 1: Hen-day prductin perfrmance f Pearl and Black strain f guinea fwl fr 8 week laying perid AD (mm) b 61.27±2.02 11.43 18.66 AI (%) 11.68±0.45 2.52 21.56 Black EM 30.00±3.45 2.52 8.39 YWT (g) 12.17±0.21 1.16 9.53 YHT (mm) 13.70±0.31 1.75 12.77 YD (mm) 35.71±0.48 2.71 7.59 YI (%) 38.65±1.13 6.39 16.53 AWT (g) 17.48±0.30 2.58 12.47 AHT (mm) 7.40±0.28 1.56 21.08 a AD (mm) 66.97±1.20 6.80 10.15 AI (%) 11.25±0.54 3.05 27.11 ab Means with different superscripts alng the same clumn are significantly different (p<0.05). EM = Egg Mass, YWT = Ylk Weight, YHT = Ylk Height, YD = Ylk Diameter, YI = Ylk Index, AWT = Albumen Weight, AHT = Albumen Height, AD = Albumen Diameter, AI = Albumen Index Black and Pearl strains. The values f the egg shape index (%) recrded were 78.46±0.54 fr Pearl and 78.14±0.52 fr Black. The respective values fr ELT (mm) and EW (mm) were 46.84±0.21 and 36.60±0.10 fr Pearl and 47. 40±0.27 and 36.83±0.15 fr Black. The Pearl strain had 7.27±0.30 g fr shell weight and 0.43±0.04 mm fr shell thickness while Black had 7.12±0.32 g and 0.41±0.21 mm fr shell weight and shell thickness, respectively. The means plus standard errr, standard deviatin and cefficient f variatin (%) f the internal egg quality parameters fr the tw strains are shwn in Table 5. Albumen diameter was the nly internal trait that was significantly different (p<0.05) between Pearl and Black strain. All the ther traits studied did nt differ significantly (p>0.05) between the strains. DISCUSSION The result btained in terms f egg number suggests (p<0.05) difference between the tw strains in terms f that the Pearl is a strain f chice in terms f egg their HDP. HDP ranged frm 11.11-26.98% fr Black and prductin in this regin. Hwever, the abve indicatin 10.32-22.22% fr Pearl. Hwever, the Black strain had may be biased taking cgnizance f the unequal number higher HDP than the Pearl in all the weeks studied f layers used in the study. The range f values fr HDP except in weeks 1, 5 and 6. is higher when cmpared t 9.51-13.44% reprted by The means±se, standard deviatin and cefficient f Odukwe (2010) fr Pearl strain in an experiment variatin (%) f the external egg quality traits f the Pearl invlving different levels f dietary energy and prtein. In and Black strains are given in Table 4. The tw strains cntrast, Nahashn et al. (2006) recrded HDP f 20- cmpared favurably (p>0.05) in their external 30% and 30-40% fr Pearl hens aged between 32-72 characteristics. This is als evident frm the cefficient 2 weeks reared in different cage densities f 465 cm /hen f variatin (%) which shwed n wide variatin between 2 and 697 cm /hen, respectively in the USA. Since egg the egg traits f the tw strains. The mean egg weights prductin is best measured in terms f hen-day and (g) were 37.91±0.39 and 37.67±0.27, respectively fr huse-huse egg prductin (Akanni et al., 2010), then 549
the Black strain culd als be a strain f chice with similar t the findings f Dudusla (2010) and regard t egg prductin in the study regin. Nwaczewski et al. (2008). The eggs f the Pearl Unfrtunately, the number f Black hens used was lwer shwed greater prprtin f egg mass (20.48%) than than Pearl hens and this may have inflated HDP values the eggs f the Black strain (8.39%). f Black strain. In the chicken, Sut et al. (1997) wrking with Brwn and In the temperature regin, Nwaczewski et al. (2008) White Leghrn type layer chicken reprted significant recrded egg weight f 55.3 g fr French and 40.7 g fr effect f gentype f layer n egg quality traits, indicating dmestic Plish guinea fwls. The values als differed that egg quality is a breed characteristic. The nnfrm the reprts f Bernacki and Heller (2003) and gentypic (strain) difference bserved between the tw Dudusla (2010). Hwever, the values reprted in this strains in almst all the traits measured culd be due t study were similar t 39.5 g stated by Nahashn et al. envirnmental effect as well as similar bdy weight (2006) in the USA. The differences recrded in these recrded fr the hens. Alex (2001) reprted that lwly studies cmpared t ur study may be as a result f heritable traits including egg prductin traits are differences in envirnmental factrs in these regins. greatly affected by envirnmental and nn-additive The nn-significant difference (p>0.05) btained in this gene actin. study fr egg weight can be attributed t the similar Bednarczyk (1991) nted that a number f envirnmental bdy weight f the hens f the tw strains. Oke et al. factrs can exert a significant effect n the traits f hen (2004) demnstrated a highly significant and psitive eggs. This was crrbrated by the reprts f crrelatin (rp = 0.85) between bdy weight f guinea Tarasewicz et al. (2004) with regard t eggs f Japanese fwl hens and the weight f their eggs. The values f the quail. In Nigeria, guinea fwl is mre peculiar t the egg shape index reprted in ur wrk are in agreement nrthern regin than the rain-frest zne. It is als with the range f 0.75-0.78 reprted fr laying hens pssible that the birds may have been inter-breeding (Akanni et al., 2010). Dudusla (2010) reprted a value since in the wild since they still remain t be fully f 79.57 fr guinea fwl in Nigeria while Nwaczewski dmesticated. As a result, the strains culd pssess et al. (2008) gave 73.7 and 74.7 fr French and Plish similar genetic make-up such that little r n difference dmestic strains f guinea fwl which did nt differ wuld be bserved in their ecnmic traits. Hwever, statistically. The values f egg shape index bserved in that the tw strains are at least different in egg number Black (78.14%) and Pearl (78.46%) suggests that eggs and albumen diameter suggests sme amunt f f these strains are less prne t breakage and can genetic variability which indicates that these traits can make fr gd hatchability. Althugh the egg shape pssibly be imprved using the strains. index values frm ur study nt significantly different between the tw strains, they reflect high genetic values Cnclusin: The effect f strain was nt bserved fr all fr shell strength which can make them resistance t the traits measured except fr egg number and albumen envirnmental stress. This crrbrates the reprt that diameter. The significant difference bserved fr these the shape f eggs in chickens is characterized by high tw traits between Pearl and Black suggests at least heritability cefficient reaching abut 50% (Bednarczyk, sme degree f genetic variability. Owing t the fact that 1991). The ther external egg quality traits did nt differ the Pearl had a better perfrmance in terms f egg significantly (p>0.05) between Pearl and Black. Hwever, number, it culd be a strain f chice fr egg prductin they are in cnfrmity with earlier reprts (Fayeye et al., in this regin. Hwever, cnsidering ther egg quality 2005; Nwaczewski et al., 2008; Dudusla, 2010; characteristics studied, bth Pearl and Black strain Odukwe, 2010). Carew et al. (1983) reprted that shell culd be used t imprve egg quality parameters in the thickness f 0.62±0.13 mm fr guinea fwl. In anther rain-frest regin f Nigeria. This study may be reinvestigatin, shell weight fr guinea fwl was given as investigated with larger ppulatin size. It is pssible 6.68±1.24 g (Ayeni et al., 1983). that with larger ppulatin size, mre significance culd The mean values f ylk index (YI, %) recrded in this be fund indicating mre genetic variatin. Again, ther study fr Pearl (38.90±1.03) and Black (38.65±1.13) are guinea fwl strains existent in Nigeria like the Lavender in clse range with the 39.15±0.27 and 40.1±0.27 and the White shuld als be investigated fr these reprted by Nwagu et al. (2010) fr Anak and Hubbard traits in rder t make the best chices f strains suited breeds f chicken, respectively. The ylk index values fr imprvement in the study zne. btained are als within the accepted range f 33.0-50.0 mm fr fresh eggs (Ihekrnye and Ngddy, 1985). Ylk index determines the freshness f an egg and large index makes fr gd hatchability as the eggs tend t stre lnger withut spilage (Odukwe, 2010). The values btained in ur study fr ylk weight (g) were als ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authrs are grateful t Cllege f Animal Science and Animal Prductin, Michael Okpara University f Agriculture, Umudike fr prviding us with pens used fr the experiment in her Pultry and Livestck unit. 550
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