Effect of Age and Sex on Haematological Profiles in Indigenous Helmeted Guinea Fowl (Numida Meleagris) in the Guinea Savannah Zone of Ghana

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of age and sex on haematological indices in the helmeted Guinea fowl. Blood samples were collected from 10, 26 and 52 weeks old helmeted Guinea fowls classified as early growers, adults and breeders from TibZaa farms in the Northern Region of Ghana and the haematological profiles of the birds determined. Haematological indices determined were haemoglobin, red blood cell (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV),mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), total white blood cell (WBC) counts, heterophils, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes and lymphocytes. Haemoglobin concentration was higher (P<0.05) for 52- week old Guinea fowls than the 10 and 26 week olds. The overall mean haemoglobin concentration was 12.25 ± 2.15 g/dL. The PCV percentage was higher (P<0.05) in the 52-week old Guinea fowls than the 10 and 26 week olds. The overall mean PCV value was 34.11± 9.18%. The 52-week old Guinea fowls had higher (P<0.05) MCV and MCH levels than the 10 and 26–week olds. The overall mean MCV and MCH values were 168.31 ± 57.65 fL and 60.43 ± 16.47 pg respectively. The 26–week old Guinea fowls had higher heterophils counts than the 10-week olds (60.37 ± 1.05 versus 56.53 ± 1.07 %). The overall mean heterophils count was 58.53 ± 6.83%. Lymphocyte percentage was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the 10–week old Guinea fowls than the 26–week olds. The overall mean lymphocyte value was 32.71 ± 8.13%. Apart from haemoglobin concentration which was significantly (P< 0.05) higher in male than female Guinea fowls (13.16 ± 0.30 versus 11.91 ± 0.30 g/dL), the effect of sex was not significant (P>0.05)on the other haematological indices measured. The levels of some haematological indices increased with age in the Guinea fowl.

Keywords: age, sex, haematology, guinea fowl.