Genetic studies on growth and conformation traits of guinea fowl

359 progenies of indigenous guinea fowl, produced from 22 sires in 3 hatches were evaluated for body weights, breast angle, shank length and keel length at 4, 8, 12 and 16 week of age. The means body weight at 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age were 26.87±0.12, 208.12±1.32, 619.78±5.06, 951.00±4.87, and 1190.17±5.30 g, respectively. The average shank lengths at 4,8,12 and 16 weeks of age were 3.22±0.01, 4.27±0.01, 5.37±0.02 and 6.98±0.01 cm, respectively. The corresponding values of keel length were 4.16±0.01, 7.41±0.03, 8.81±0.02 and 9.96±0.02cm, respectively. The average breast angle at 8, 12, and 16 weeks, of age were 20.740±0.10, 25.170±0.07 and 36.190±0.06, respectively. The heritability of body weight, shanklength, keel length and breast angle at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age were 0.17±0.12, 0.42±0.18, 0.08±0.09 and 0.09±0.10; 0.08±0.10, 0.07±0.09, 0.20±0.13 and 0.10±0.10 and 0.13±0.11, 0.13±0.10; 0.23±0.14 and 0.15±0.2, respectively.