This study was conducted to investigate the influence of strain on production traits, egg fertility, hatchability, dressing percentage, survival and docility of indigenous Guinea fowls in Ghana. A total of 700 keets (F 1 generation) hatched from four strains of indigenous Guinea fowls were randomly picked from a large population at a day old and reared for 32 weeks. At 8 th was significantly (p<0.05) highest in Pearl strain. Age at first egg was significantly (p<0.05) earlier in the Lavender than the Pearl, White and Black but delayed in the Pearl. Again, the Pearls were significantly (p<0.05) superior in egg weight, percentage hen day egg production and fertility. No significant differences were observed in post-brooding daily weight gain, feed intake, FCR, docility by heterophil/lymphocyte ratio and post-brooding survival of the strains. Hatchability was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the Black. The White strain had significantly (p<0.05) better dressing percentage. Pre-brooding survival was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the Pearls and lower in the Black. Lavender was docile (p<0.05) as compared to the other breeds. It was concluded that given the same treatment, the Pearl strain had the potential to perform fairly well in most of the traits studied, hence are recommended for higher production while the Black strain should be used for hatchability and the Lavender for docility improvement.

Artificial light is highly recognized and used in Guinea fowl production. In Guinea fowl production, access to light is an important factor for both growth and egg production. The eye is a vital sense organ under neuro-endocrine regulation in order to allow sight in animals. Guinea fowls perceive light through photoreceptors that transform the energy contained in photons in biological signals. In the eye, the energy of the photons is transformed by photosensitive pigments in the cones and rods of the retina, and transmitted through neurons to the brain where signals are integrated in an image. Photoreceptors in the hypothalamus are biological transformers that convert photon energy into neural impulses. These impulses affect the endocrine system that control ovarian activity in females and therefore, their reproductive behavior. Many physiological and behavioural aspects of Guinea fowl is affected by lightening. Certain essential function of Guinea fowl like body temperature, feeding, metabolism and digestion is directly or indirectly affected by light. Light also controls the activities of different hormones and affects growth maturation and development of organism. The physical activity of Guinea fowls can be affected by daylength, light intensity, colour and wavelength. The increase in physical activity leads to overall development of Guinea fowl. Hence, Guinea fowl producers and breeders must consider light management activities for higher productivity.

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of different lighting regime on reproductive and growth performance of the pearl Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) in Ghana. A total of five hundred (500) eggs were collected from an ongoing photoperiod experiment which were hatched and used for the study. The experimental birds were randomly assigned to a lighting programme of 12 hours of light: 12 hours of darkness (12L: 12D), 14 hours of light: 10 hours of darkness (14L: 10D), 16 hours of light: 8 hours of darkness (16L: 8D), and 18 hours of light: 6 hours of darkness (18L: 6D). A total of two-hundred and forty (240) day one old keets were divided into four treatment groups and each treatment was replicated three times in a Completely Randomize Design (CRD). The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using GenStat version 11.1 (2008). Least significant difference (LSD) at 5 % was used to separate the means. Results from the study revealed that, Percentage fertility, hatchability and hen-day egg production was highest (P<0.05) among Guinea fowls subjected to 16L: 8D photoperiodic lighting schedule. Egg weight, dead in shell and piped eggs were highest (P<0.05) among Guinea fowls subjected to 12L: 12D photoperiodic lighting schedule. Guinea fowls subjected to 18L: 6D lighting schedule had the highest (P<0.05) body weight, body weight gain, feed intake with better feed conversion ratio. This study concludes that 16L: 8D improves fertility, hatchability and hen-day egg production while 18L: 6D ensures rapid growth with better feed conversion.

This study aimed at estimating genetic and phenotypic correlations among traits in local Guinea fowl in Ghana. Animal farm of Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development Mampong-Ashanti campus was where the study took place, from 2015 to 2018. Data for the experiment was obtained from keets made up of 300 males and 300 females. Parents of the keets consisted of 110 dams and 22 sires. Arithmetic method and Pearson’s product moment correlation were used for the estimates. In male Guinea fowl, the values of genetic correlations among growth characteristics ranged from -0.63 to 0.93. Between growth and other characteristics, estimates of genetic correlation ranged from 0.29 to 0.97, -0.67 to 0.43, -0.62 and 0.94 respectively. Values of phenotypic correlations among growth parameters were between -0.32 and 0.49. Range of figures of phenotypic correlations recorded between growth characteristics and survival, docility, and dressing percentage were between -0.28 and 0.28, -0.46 and 0.18, and -0.41 and 0.36 correspondently. In female Guinea fowl on the other hand, range of genetic correlations among growth traits was between -0.80 and 0.95. Range of figures of genetic correlation between growth traits and survival, docility, dressing percentage and reproductive characteristics of were from -0.47 to 0.9, -0.52 to 0.58, -0.58 to 0.82 and -0.59 to 0.9 respectively. The values of phenotypic correlations among growth characteristics fell between -0.39 and 0.46.  Phenotypic correlations recorded between growth traits and survival, docility, dressing percentage and reproductive characteristics were from -0.26 to 0.47, -0.47 to 0.19, -0.35 to0.47 and -0.33 to 0.47 respectively. Values of genetic correlations higher than one (1) among some traits in male Guinea fowl were recorded. To conclude, discoveries of this study are in general agreement of what pertains to Guinea fowl and other farm livestock species.

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