Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the effects of local guinea fowl breeder’s diet incorporation with Moringa oleifera leaf powder on the hatching rate, quality and serum parameters of keet in Togo.
Materials and methods: A total of 512 breeder guinea fowls (128 males and 384 females) were assigned randomly to four dietary groups (with fours replicates each), named Mo0, Mo1, Mo2, and Mo3 containing 0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% of Moringa oleifera leaf powder in diets, respectively. Guinea fowls are raised in confinement. Four incubation (I38, I42, I46, and I50) of 560 eggs were carried out each (eggs were incubated at 37.7°C, relative humidity of 55% and turning once every hour at a 90° angle until 23 days before transferred to hatching baskets for 3 to 4 days). These eggs were collected from 384 local guinea fowls at 38, 42, 46, and 50 weeks of age. Egg weight loss, the duration of hatching events, fertility, hatchability, embryo mortality, and serum parameters of keets at hatch were evaluated.
Results: The duration of the hatching events in Mo0 and Mo1 groups was significantly higher than that of the Mo2 and Mo3 groups. The fertility rate (%) in Mo2 and Mo3 (76.43±3.8 and 76.15±4.5 respectively) was higher than that of Mo0 and Mo1 (73.3±6.6 and 74.2±4.7 respectively). Hatchability (%) was lower in Mo0 (81.5±3.3) compared to Mo1, Mo2 and Mo3 (87.54±5.5; 87.03±3.2 and 88.25±4.1 respectively). Embryo mortality rate (%) reduced in Mo1, Mo2 and Mo3 (9.92±0.24; 11.08±0.34 and 11.12±0.71 respectively) compared to Mo0 (12.84±1.59). The total proteins and albumin level were increased in Mo1, Mo2 and Mo3 compared to Mo0. Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatinine, uric acid, urea, triglycerides, and HDL-CH of all treatments was not significantly different. Total cholesterol decrease in Mo1, Mo2 and Mo3 compared to Mo0.
Conclusion: It was concluded that Moringa oleifera leaves powder incorporated into local guinea fowl breeders ‘diets at 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% improve keets production. However, according to the results on egg production performance of guinea fowl breeders obtained in our previous study, the best performance was obtained with dietary inclusion of 0.5% and 1% Moringa oleifera leaves powder.

Key words: Blood parameter, Fertile eggs, Moringa