ENERGY AND PROTEIN-LEVELS IN INITIAL DIET S FOR GUINEA-FOWL (NUMIDA-MELEAGRIS)

An experiment involving 168 one day old Guinea fowls from a commercial crossing was carried out to study the effects of energy and protein l evels on the performance of these birds during the initial growth peri od. Twelve diets containing three levels of energy (2,800; 3,000 and 3 ,200 kcal ME/kg) and four levels of crude protein (20, 22, 24 and 26%) based on corn and soybean meal were furnished to birds alloted in ind ividual wire cages.?he experimental design was a factorial 3 (energy l evels) x 4 (protein levels) and birds were distributed in a randomized block design with 14 birds per treatment. The parameters studied were : weight gain., feed intake and feed conversion. Results showed that b irds fed with diets containing high levels of energy (3,000 and 3,200 kcal ME/kg) and protein (24 and 26%) showed a significantly (P < 0,05) higher weight gain and feed conversion than those fed with low-energy (2,800 kcal ME/kg) and low-protein (20 and 22%) diets. Environmental conditions were 25 to 31 degrees C and 78% relative humidity.