Enhancing productive traits in white Guinea fowl through multi-stage selective breeding: a six-generation study

Pandian, C., Valavan, S.E., Sundaresan, A. and Churchil, R.R. 2023. Enhancing productive traits in white Guinea fowl through multi-stage selective breeding: a six-generation study. Indian Journal Poultry Science, 58(3): 195–200.

To improve productive traits of white Guinea fowl, selective breeding was carried out continuously for six generation. A total 1000 Guinea fowl hatching eggs were collected and keets were hatched out to create base population. The production traits were given due importance during selective breeding for 6 generations to improve both body weight and egg production. The hatch weight, body weight (g), FCR, liveability, age at sexual maturity (days), HDEP and HHEP, annual egg number, weight (g), total and fertile hatchability (%) were studied. The day-old chick weight of all six generations ranged from 26.46 to 28.10g. The 4 and 8^th week mean body weight of the first-generation white Guinea fowl was 180.85 and 481.69g, respectively, which increased to 220.95 and 494.13g, respectively in 6^th generation. Similarly, the 12 and 16^th week body weight in 1^st generation increased from 767.12 to 805.29g and 951.04 to 1079.15g respectively, at 6^th generation. The linear regression analysis of 4 and 8^th week body weight over generations revealed significant increment of 7.59 g and 7.72 g respectively, per generation. Similarly, the body weight in each generation had a positive change with high degree of goodness of fit. The 12 and 16^th week FCR showed a positive change of high magnitude over generations. The hen day and hen housed egg production (29-51 weeks) from 1^st to 6^th generation increased from 39.26 to 40.55% and 37.53 to 38.83% respectively, during the course of selection. The total and fertile egg hatchability also showed marked changes due to selection with improvement varying from 49.52 to 53.14% and 71.37 to 72.38% across the generations. This study concluded that the multi-stage short-term selection can improve both body weight and egg production in white Guinea fowl.