Characteristics of guinea fowl production systems in northern Ghana. A baseline study of 20 districts in Northern Ghana

2016

English

A baseline survey of guinea fowl production in northern Ghana was conducted to gather bench mark data against which to measure impact of future guinea fowl project interventions. Ten districts were covered in Northern Region and five each in Upper East and Upper West regions. An average of 36 guinea fowl farmers were interviewed per district. Chi-square was used to compare actual values against expected values. Paired T-Test was also used to separate means. Tables and graphs were drawn for better visualization of the findings. A substantial number of the farmers interviewed were between the ages of 21 and 60 years. By gender, guinea fowl farming appeared to be a predominantly male occupation in all three regions. Guinea fowl production was still largely the preoccupation of farmers with no formal education (64%). The local breed comprised the overwhelming majority (98%) of birds kept by the farmers. The respondents obtained day-old keets from two main sources; from their own eggs (52%) and buying eggs (44%) from others to hatch. Farmers in the Northern Region obtained the highest average number of eggs from their guinea fowls per annum (1067 eggs), followed by the Upper West Region (399 eggs per annum), and lastly the Upper East Region (328 eggs per annum). Of the eggs produced annually, about 22.6% were incubated to obtain keets, 37.5% were sold and 13.7% were consumed by the family. Calabash was the clear container of choice for storage of eggs (73.5%). Most farmers (89.8%) stored their eggs for a week or less before incubation. The most common method used to determine the sex of a guinea fowl was the helmet method (35%). Virtually all the respondents offered supplementary feed to their guinea fowls. In northern Ghana the use of grains (maize and millet) to feed guinea fowls dominated. There was normally water for the birds to drink as over 80% of the respondents alleged they gave their birds water. Mud hut for housing guinea fowls predominated. Once in a week sweeping of the guinea fowl house was the most common practice and it was carried out by 33% of the respondents. The most widely used medication was herbs in Northern (25%) and Upper West (40%) regions and dewormer in Upper East Region (35%). About 70% of the respondents had a problem of guinea keet mortality and it was the overriding challenge. Consequently, about 82% of the respondents requested for training in guinea fowl health. The major mode of transporting guinea fowls to market was by bicycle, and about half of the people interviewed used this means of transport. Guinea fowls were commonly conveyed in local cages to the market with 70% of the respondents indicating this practice in northern Ghana. Mortality rate during transportation of guinea fowls was about 0.6%.

Avornyo, F. K.; Salifu, S.; Panyan, E. K.; Al-Hassan, B. I.; Ahiagbe, M.; Yeboah, F.