Authors : A.I. Adeyemo, O. Oyejola and T.A. Afolayan
Abstract: 20 weeks old guinea fowl pullets previously maintained at grower phase on 4 dietary protein levels of 18%, 16%, 14%, and 12% cp and on same metabolizable energy level of 2600 kcal/kg, were used for testing the best of performance of layers. All the birds, were then maintained on the same diet of 18% cp and metabolizable energy of 2600 kcal/kg for 16 weeks. Birds raised on 18% cp and 16% cp made their lay at 162 days old, while those on 14% cp and 12% cp made theirs at 166 and 175 days respectively. There was however, no significant difference (P<0.05) among the means. It took ten weeks for birds on 12% cp diet to attain 50% hen day production as compared with 8 weeks for other diets, although by the 12th week, the rate of lay evened out in all the diets. Egg production ratio was best for 16% cp being 2.8 compared with 3.0 for diet 20% cp and 3.2 for 12% cp diet. Shell thickness and yolk colour for the treatment were not significantly different.
Adeyemo, A.I. , O. Oyejola and T.A. Afolayan , 2006. Performance of Guinea Fowl Nuimedia meleagris Fed Varying Protein Levels. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 5: 519-521.