Mohamed, A.S. (1) Musharaf, N.A. (2) Ahmed, F.A. (3)
Elzubeir, E.A. (2) and Nimir, M.B. (4)
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences,
University of Gezira P.O. Box 20, Wad Medani, Sudan.
SUMMARY
Carcass characteristics and meat chemical composition were determined for 38 tufted guineafowl Numida — meleagris meleagris (22 males and 16 females). The mean live weight for the whole batch was 900.41±124.7 (g) and the dressing percentage 74.18% (N= 38). There was significant correlation between the dressed carcass weight and the individual weights of the carcass components e.g. dressed carcass weight and breast (r = 0.79 at p c 0.05, N = 38). The crude protein of tufted guineafowl meat averaged 29.13±1.31% for ten randomly selected birds. The means fbr ether extract, dry matter, ash content of the carcass for N.M. meleagris were 13.64±2.23%, 31.25±3.95%, and 5.15±1.31% (same above 10 birds) respectively.
INTRODUCTION
Various surveys excuted by different research workers have shown that guineafowl meat is socially accepted (Angus and Wilson, 1976., Aynda, 1983., Ayeni 1980 and Mohamed, 1994). It was also reported that guineafowl has been reared on semi-domestic production line by some of the rural citizens in the Sudan (Mohamed, 1994).
| College of Animal Production Science and Technology, Sudan University of Science and Technology. Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum. Animal Resources Research Corporation, Ministry of Animal Resources. Sudanese Environment Conservation Society. |
However, there is limited information on carcass yield and meat composition of tufted guineafowl in the Sudan. The present paper addresses the determination of the carcass yield and meat chemical composition of tufted guineafowl N m. meleagris.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirty eight guineafowl (22 males and 16 females), of the dry season (April 1993), were randomly selected from a batch of a hundred birds captured at the Dinder National Park. An electronic digital balance was used to determine the live weight of each bird to the nearest 0.01 g.
The birds were slaughtered after being deprived of food and water overnight. Birds were killed by severing the carotid artery and jugular veins. The slaughtered birds were immersed in warm water (63 °C) for 5 minutes and the feathers were then removed, air-dried overnight and weighed. After evisceration, the dead, legs, neck, wings, gizzard and blotting paper. The main body was portioned into ribs, breast, drumstick, chest, thighs, neck and back. Each portion was weighed separately to the nearest 0.01 g.
Samples from the thigh and breast were randomly selected for ten males and ten females, then dried, weighed and chemically analyzed for the determination of crude protein, ash content, ether extract and moisture content. Meat proximate analysis was carried out according to the Association of Official Analytical Chemists methods (AOAC 1980).
A personal computer, Model (Raven 386, SAS package, version 6, was used for correlation coefficients of edible carcass portions.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 gives the mean weight (g), standard deviation (S.D), for the whole birds and components for 38 guineafowls. Live weight ranged from 0.577 to 1.144 kg. With a mean of 900.41±124.79 g, N = 38. The edible carcass weight (667.93 g) represented 74.18% of the live weight. The dressed carcass components constituted the breast (29.5%), thighs (15.4%), drumstick (13.6%), ribs (7.4%) and back (12%). Ayeni et al., (1983) reported a live weight of 0.95±0.16 kg. and the dressed carcass being 71.5% of the live weight for helmet guineafowl Numida meleagris galeata in Nigeria. It appears that the average helmet guineafowl weighed more than did the tufted
| Table 1. Mean weights (g) ± SD, minimum and maximum weights (g) for whole birds and carcass components of guineafowl. | |
| Parameter | Mean weight (g) ± SD |
| Live weight | 900.41±124.79 |
| Carcass weight | 875.09±120.38 |
| Dressed Carcass wt. | 667.93±108.19 |
| Head | 25.03±2.57 |
| Drumstick | 91.09±16.72 |
| Thighs | 102.09±20.02 |
| Breast | 196.91±38.33 |
| Wings | 105.23±23.67 |
| Ribs | 49.64±15.66 |
| Back | 80.19±21.25 |
| Neck | 36.27±5.91 |
Table 2. Correlation coefficients between dressed carcass weight and weights of individual ‘ carcass portions of tufted guineafowl.
| Dressed carcass weight | drumstick thighs | breast | wing | rib | back | neck | |
| dressed carcass weight | 1.00 | ||||||
| drumstick | . 89 | 1.00 | |||||
| thigh | . 92 | . 83 | 1.00 | ||||
| breast | . 79 | . 71 | . 74 | 1.00 | |||
| wing | . 75 | . 67 | . 67 | NS . 34 | 1.00 | ||
| rib | . 62 | . 48 | . 57 | NS . 19 | . 65 | 1.00 | |
| back | . 66 | . 55 | . 51 | NS . 27 | . 65 | . 60 | 1.00 |
| neck | . 48 | . 49 | . 52 | . 56 | NS . 25 | NS . 02 | NS . 80 |
| P 0.05 | |||||||
| NS = Not significant. |
N = 38
| Table 3. Mean weights (g) ± SD of the different carcass components and the effect of sex of male and female guineafowl* | |||
| Parameter | Males± SD | Females± SD | Overall Mean |
| Mean | Mean | Mean of live | |
| weight % | |||
| Live weight | 954.49a±112.4 | 826.06c±96.08 | 9000.41 – |
| Carcass weight | 928.08a±107.74 | 802.25c±98.10 | 875.09 97.2 |
| Dressing weight 714.80a±98.78 | 603.43±86.7 | 667.93 74.2 | |
| Head | 25.705a±2.78 | 24.094a±1.97 | 25.03 2.78 |
| Drumstick | 98.15a±14.77 | 81.18c±29.3 | 91.01 10.11 |
| Thighs | 110.30a±18.57 | 92.76b±15.87 | 102.91 11.43 |
| Breast | 212.81a±32.03 | 175.04e±30.4 | 196.91 21.27 |
| Wings | 112.39a±21.45 | 95.44b±13.59 | 105.23 11.69 |
| Ribs | 52.06b±15.79 | 46.32b±14.22 | 49.64 5.51 |
| Back | 87.30a±21.12 | 70.41b±14.41 | 80.19 8.91 |
| Neck | 37.33b±4.58 | 34.83b±5.45 | 36.27 4.3 |
| Legs | 34.40±3.99 | 27.34±3.87 | 29.11 3.23 |
| Gizzard | 28.59±9.82 | 25.70±3.87 | 27.37 3.61 |
| Liver | 13.51±4.46 | 11.26±3.74 | 12.56 1.39 |
| Heart | 4.89±0.95 | 4.14±0.99 | 4.57 0.50 |
| Lungs | 6.60±1.83 | 6.26±1.93 | 6.45 0.72 |
| Blood lost in | |||
| Killing | 26.61±5.18 | 24.25±6.81 | 25.61 2.84 |
| Feathers | 59.100±16.12 | 25.02±15.43 | 58.22 6.47 |
| Intestines | 30.74±9.43 | 28.318±9.76 | 29.34 3.26 |
22 males and 16 females.
a, b, c, means with different superscripts are significantly correlated.
guineafowl (Ayeni et al., 1983). However, the latter had a higher dressing percentage which might be due to less internal parasitic load of the tufted guineafowl, which are few species with low infestation level (Mohamed, 1994).
It was reported by Ayeni et al., (1983) that the carcass of the Nigirian helmet guineafowl was composed of breast (37%), thighs (17%), wings (14%), drumstick (13%), ribs (10%) and back (9%). The results of the carcass constituent parts, for both subspecies show little variation, but there is considerable difference in the case of weight of breast, ribs and back. Ayorindi (1989) studied the carcass yield and chemical composition of four indigenous guineafowl varieties in Nigiria. He reported the average edible percentage as 67, 79, 70.71, 74.01 and 70.65 at 16, 20, 24 and 52 weeks of age respectively.
Table 2 shows the correlation coefficients between the carcass weights and weights of the individual carcass cuts. The dressed carcass weight, drumstick, thigh, breast, wings, ribs, back and neck were significantly correlated (p c 0.05, N = 38). The results also revealed positive correlations between the different components with the exception that there was no significant correlation between wings and ribs.
The carcass characteristics of 22 male and 16 female guineafowls were determined (Table 3). The live weight for the males averaged 954.49±112.40 (g) and the females live weight mean 826.0±96.08 (g), while the dressed carcass weight averaged 714.80±98.78 (g) for the male and 603.48±86.70 (g) for the female tufted guineafowl. The variation between the male and the female guineafowl, as for live weight, dressed carcass weight and the weights of the different components is shown in table 3. The dead weight, dressed carcass weight, drumstick, thighs, breast, wings and back also showed a significant variation between the two sexes at p c 0.001 for the dead weight, dressed carcass weight and drumstick. P c 0.01 for thighs and breast and p c 0.005 for wings and back. The results of the effect of sex on carcass component weight were based on birds of the same (dry) season rather than on birds of the same age, so there is the effect of age variation. Ayorindi (1989) reported that the only weights affected by age were the live weights and weights of the abdominal fats.
Results of the proximate analysis of tufted guineafowl meat gave a mean percentage for crude protein of 29.13±1.31%..The mean percentage for ether extract was 13.64±2.23. The dry matter content averaged 31.25±3.95% and mean ash content averaged .5.15±1.31%.
Ayeni and Coworkers (1983) reported mean values for helmet guineafowl as 28.8±5.76%, 22.5±176%,. 30.0±4.02% and 13.64±2.00% for crude protein, ether extract, dry matter and ash content respectively. Results of the proximate analysis for tufted guineafowl N m. meleagris and helmet guineafowl N. m. galeata were almost the same for crude protein and dry matter content, while they showed a remarkable variation in the case of ether extract and ash content which might be due to variation in food composition.
The results of the present study has revealed that tufted guineafowl has good meat attributes. It can be raised on a semi-domesticated level to satisfy some of the protein requirements of the rural sector.
REFERENCES
Angus, A. and Wilson, K.J. (1976). Raising guineafowl. Northern Agric. Research U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
A.O.A.C. (1980). Official Methods of Analysis. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Washington, D.C.
Ayanda, J.O. (1983). Socio-economic aspects of guineafowl free-range production in Kainji Lake Basin in Nigeria. In : Helmet Guineafowl (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas) in Nigeria. Ed. J.S.O. Ayeni, Published by Kainji Lake Research Institute, New Bussa, Nigeria. 40-49.
Ayeni, J.S.O. (1980). The biology and utilization of the helmet guineafowl (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas) in Nigeria. Ph.D. thesis University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Ayeni, J.S.O., Tewe, O.O. and Ajayi, S.S. (1983). Body measurements and carcass composition of guineafowl. Trop. Agric., Trinidad, 60 (3) : 224-226.
Ayorindi, K.I. (1989). Carcass yield of four varieties of guineafowl in different areas in Nigeria. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa. 37 (4) : 361.
Mohamed, A.S. (1994). Ecological and some productivity studies on tufted guineafowl Numida meleagris meleagris in Dinder National Park. Ph.D. thesis, University of Gezira, Sudan.
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