Macroscopic embryonic development of Guinea fowl compared to other domestic bird species

Abstract

Reproduction Full-length research article Macroscopic embryonic development of Guinea fowl compared to other domestic bird species ABSTRACT-Since few studies have addressed the embryonic development of Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), the objective of the present study was to evaluate its embryonic development in the Cerrado region of Brazil and compare the results to published descriptions of the embryonic development of other domestic bird species. The commercialized weight for Guinea fowl eggs used in the experiment was found to be 37.57 g, while egg fertility was 92%. Embryo growth rate (%) was higher on the sixth day of incubation relative to other days. The heart began beating on the third day of development, while eye pigmentation and upper and lower limb buds appeared on the sixth day. The yolk sac was incorporated on the 24th day followed by chick external pipping and hatching on the 28th day. Comparisons revealed that the embryonic development of Guinea fowl exhibits both similarities to, and differences from, the embryonic development of other domestic birds. From three days of embryonic development, differences were observed among the compared species. Despite the same incubation period, Guinea fowl embryos develop faster than turkeys. All species begin internal pecking two days before hatching and internal pecking 24 h before hatching.

The fatty acid profile and the quality of breast and leg muscles in female and male pearl gray guinea fowl (Numida meleagris)

“…The low level of production and consumption of guinea fowl meat in many countries is caused by the lack of tradition of eating this meat and the limited knowledge of consumers about its nutritional and health properties. Meat-oriented production of guinea fowl occurs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America in a free-range system ( Araújo et al, 2019 ). In the intensive production system, it is a viable activity in countries such as the United States and Canada, as well as France and Italy ( López-Pedrouso et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Many authors emphasize that the products obtained from guinea fowl, including meat, have not yet been fully described, because they are mostly kept in extensive systems. Hence, the slower genetic improvement of this species results ( Abdul-Rahman et al, 2019 ; Araújo et al, 2019 ; López-Pedrouso et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Despite the fact that guinea fowl are farmed around the world, their genetic potential, including the quality of guinea fowl meat, has not been thoroughly researched because in most countries (excluding the USA and France), guinea fowl of different varieties are produced mostly in free-range systems with low and varied levels of agricultural mechanization, and under different environmental conditions ( Abdul-Rahman et al, 2019 ; Araújo et al, 2019 ). According to the small number of studies conducted on this poultry species, the quality of guinea fowl meat can be influenced by the housing and management system ( Yamak et al, 2018 ), variety ( Koné et al, 2022 ), diet ( Batkowska et al, 2021 ), age at slaughter, and sex ( Sarica et al, 2019 ).…”

Development of small intestine and sugar absorptive capacity in goslings during pre- and post-hatching periods

“…Recently, a comprehensive investigation has been conducted on the development patterns of embryonic intestines of chicks, ducks, turkeys, guinea fowls, and pigeons ( Dong et al, 2012a , b ; Wilson et al, 2018 ; Araújo et al, 2019 ; Li et al, 2019 ; Givisiez et al, 2020 ). Dong et al (2012a) observed the expression of intestinal nutrient transporters increased with age, moreover, they noted that the expression of sugar transporter genes in pigeon jejunum was higher than that in other intestinal segments.…”

Factors Affecting Productive Performance of Guinea Fowl: A Review

“…In the United States, for example, interest in Guinea fowl as an alternative to produce meat has been increasing. In fact, in such country, numidiculture has proven to be a profitable activity (Nahashon et al, 2006a), due to the nutritional value and yield of the guinea fowl carcass, reported by various authors (Mareko et al, 2006;Kokoszynski et al, 2011;Bernacki et al, 2012;Hoffman and Tlhong, 2012;Camas-Robles et al, 2020), standing out for its delicacy and flavor, compared to chicken, turkey, and duck meat (Araújo et al, 2019). Likewise, Guinea fowl eggs are gaining relevance in the US market as an alternative for the production of eggs for dishes (Nahashon et al, 2006b).…”