Tropicultura (Jan 2002)
Effets des mesures prophylactiques sur la productivité de la pintade locale (Numida meleagris) en zone subhumide du Burkina Faso
Abstract
Effects of Preventive Medical Treatments on the Productivity of Local Guinea-Fowl (Numida meleagris) in the Sub-Humid Region of Burkina Faso. A study to measure the efficiency of preventive medical treatments on subsequent reproductive performances of local guinea fowl kept under natural photoperiod in the sub-humid region of Burkina Faso has been conducted. Two groups of 200 day-old guinea chicks each (T1 and T2) have been maintained under controlled conditions of feed, water allowance and more generally habitat (ex: temperature). T1 received no preventive medical treatment while Group T2 was vaccinated against Newcastle disease, and supplemented with a coccidiostatic and a trichomonacid. Percent mortality in T2 was significantly lower than in T1: 21% vs 43% (P < 0.05). In both groups, the livability of chicks with hatching body weights < 25 g at birth was very low (26% and 28% survival in T1 and T2, respectively). No significant differences were observed for body weights between the two groups at 60 weeks of age irrespective of the sex (P < 0.05 in both cases). A comparison of laying rates observed during the entire laying period (May to October) indicated a significant difference between T2 and T1 (19 vs 13%, respectively; P < 0.05). The onset of lay was observed at 219 days in T2 but only at 255 days in T1. A general tendency for heavier egg weights in T2 than in T1 was also observed (ex: 40.1 + 3.0 g in T2 vs 38.0 + 1.7 g in T1 at 52 weeks of age, respectively). Our results confirm observations by farmers that the overall reproductive performances of guinea fowl in Burkina Faso is generally very low. The prevention of diseases by a preventive programme improves laying rates and egg weights while significantly decreasing mortality in breeder flocks. The improvement of the average body weight and the laying rate over the season by improved feed, preventive treatments and, possibly, genetic selection of breeder flocks would be of major interest in this geographic portion of Africa.
