ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to determine feather distribution pattern, to evaluate feather traits and carcass traits of three varieties of helmeted female guinea fowl in Nigeria. The research was carried out at the poultry unit of teaching and research farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State Nigeria. A base population of 36 mature female guinea fowl, comprising of 12 Pearl, 12 Black and 12 Lavander were used for the study. Data collected from the study were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) in a completely randomized design. Each of the varieties was replicated three times with four birds per replicate. Data for feather number, feather colour, feather distribution and structure and carcass traits were collected at the end of the study except for weight of weekly feather loss and body weight collected on weekly basis for eight weeks. The result of the study showed that feather distribution in the three varieties followed a distinct tract and there was no variation in feather distribution, except for colour pattern among the three varieties where Pearl had black and white colour, Black variety with black colour and Lavender with ash colour dotted with white. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) in feather number as Pearl variety showed superiority over it's counterparts. Pearl variety also showed superiority (P<0.05) over its counterparts in body weight. There was a significant positive correlation (r=0.01) between body weight and feather number for Pearl and Lavender. Pearl variety showed superiority over its counterparts on slaughter live weight (SW), weight after bleeding (WB.), weight after de feathering (WD),and empty carcass(EC) weight. Pearl and Lavender showed superiority over black in breast cut (BR) (P<O.05). Pearl showed superiority (p<0.05) in Back cut (BC) over its counterpart, followed by Lavander. Pearl showed a significant positive correlation (r=0.01) between feather number and SW, WB, WD, EC, and GD, it also showed a significant negative correlation (r=O.01) between feather number and BC, significant negative(r=0.05) between DS and WG, .positive correlation (r = 0.05) between feather number and Drum stick. Lavander showed a significant positive correlation (r 0.01) between SW, WB, and WD. Also there was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.05) between drumstick, and wing. It was concluded that Pearl and Lavender had a better performance in carcass yield more than Black variety and there was a correlation among the three varieties between feather traits and body weight, feather traits and carcass traits. This suggests that body weight and carcass weight prediction in Female guinea fowl can best be obtained using feather loss.