Sexing in guinea fowls (Numida meleagris)

Iddriss I. Abdul-Rahman,∗ 1 Bawa Awumbila,† Ian A. Jeffcoate,§ Jane E. Robinson,§

and Frederick Y. Obese†
∗
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University for Development Studies, P. O. Box TL 1882,
Nyankpala Campus, Tamale, Ghana; † Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, University of
Ghana, P. O. Box LG 226, Legon, Ghana; and § Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative
Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61
1QH, Scotland, UK

ABSTRACT Despite the potentials and contributions biometric variables in a discriminant function, males
of guinea fowls to economic and social life in Ghana, could be distinguished from females with an accuracy
accurate sex identification in these birds is still a ma- of 94%. During molecular sexing, the P2/P8 primer
jor problem. Three hundred and sixty guinea fowls (180 set was not effective in sexing guinea fowls because
birds per sex) were used in determining a more accu- it amplified a single band in both sexes and in the
rate and farmer friendly sexing technique. The sexing same manner. The sex of guinea fowls was prop-
methods explored were vent, biometric, and molecular erly determined using the primer set 2550F/2718R.
techniques. Vent sexing was accomplished by measur- Females produced 2 bands of 396 bp and 344 bp,
ing phalli in 28 and 32-week-old birds, while biomet- while males only produced the larger band. Phal-
ric sexing involved the measurement of morphometric lus size in the 2 sexes were distinguishable from 8
traits and data analyzed using discriminant function weeks of age, with males having longer and thicker
analysis. Molecular sexing was carried out by DNA ex- (P < 0.05) phalli than their female counterparts. Com-
traction and subsequent PCR using the 2550F/2718R bining the 2 variables in a discriminate function,
primer set. Females had a wider (P < 0.05) pelvic inlet males and females could be distinguished with 98.3%
than male birds from first week of age until the end accuracy. While the molecular method remains the
of the study, while the opposite was true for wattle most accurate sexing technique, the biometric method
length. However, wattle length differed (P < 0.05) be- emerged as the most farmer friendly approach to sexing
tween both sexes after 4 weeks of age. Combining the guinea fowls.
Key words: sexing, biometric, molecular, vent, guinea fowl
2015 Poultry Science 94:311–318
http://dx.doi.org/10.3382/ps/peu067

INTRODUCTION ine species are sexually monomorphic in color (Price

and Birch, 1996). The development of molecular sexing
The basic information about each individual includes techniques, therefore, constituted a breakthrough in the
its sex. However, telling the difference between the sexes reliability and rapidity of sex identification in birds. By
in various taxonomic groups is not always as easy as in the time they became common, sex had been identified
humans. In birds that are sexually dimorphic, such as on the basis of: (1) behavioral observations, (2) pres-
the house sparrow (Passer domesticus Linneus, 1758), ence of brood patches, (3) differences in morphometric
mallard (Anas platyrhynchos Linneus, 1758) and col- traits, (4) examination of the gonads by laparotomy or
lared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis Temminck, 1815), it laparoscopy, and (5) examination of sex chromosomes
is very easy to distinguish between males and females (Prus and Schmutz, 1987).
(Dubiec and Zagalska-Neubauer, 2006). However, males Sexing is a major problem militating against efficient
and females of many species have very similar pheno- selection and breeding in guinea keets. In large scale
typic traits (sexual monomorphism), which can make poultry production, it is important that the birds be
sex identification challenging even for experienced or- sexed at a very early age so that resources are not
nithologists. For example, at least 60% of all passer- unduly wasted feeding the males on expensive layer
ration. Early separation of males from females also

C 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc. provides enough space for the growth of pullets
Received April 9, 2014. (Okorie, 1978), prevents precocious mating (Oluyeni
Accepted October 17, 2014. and Roberts, 1979), and helps workers understand the
1
Corresponding author: [email protected]/
[email protected]
behaviour of birds peculiar to a particular sex. Studies

311
312 ABDUL-RAHMAN ET AL.

by some researchers (Awotwi, 1975; Teye et al., 2000) tein and 2,800 Kcal ME/kg diet) rations were obtained
showed no differences between male and female keets in from a commercial feed supplier (Agricare Ghana Lim-
their external features. Preliminary studies by Awotwi ited, Kumasi, Ghana), and compounded based on the
(1975), however, showed that young female guinea fowls recommendations of Offiong (1983) (Cited by Ikani and
tended to have wider pelvic inlet than males, and this Dafwang, 2004) for optimum growth and performance
difference was evident in birds as early as 2 weeks of age in guinea fowl breeders.
(WOA). The work by Teye and associates (2000) also Information on lighting requirements of the local
demonstrated that males could be distinguished from guinea fowls from hatching are unavailable, and those
their female counterparts by the presence of a rudimen- used for chicken, are usually employed. In this case,
tary phallus in their cloaca. These results were, how- however, the “golden rule” to follow in designing light-
ever, not confirmed with any molecular tool. Also, sex- ing programs for pullets (Thiele, 2009) was followed. All
ing guinea keets using this method can be a very slow birds received 24 hr light from day old until one WOA,
process, particularly when large numbers of birds are and this was reduced to 16 hr until birds were 3 weeks
involved. Therefore, there is a need to confirm these re- old. These longer light periods during the first 3 weeks
sults and develop other techniques which will facilitate of life were to ensure maximum feed consumption and
quick and efficient sex determination in guinea keets. maximum growth initially. This was gradually reduced
The objective of this study is to determine a more accu- to a minimum of 13 hr, marking the phase of constant
rate and farmer friendly sexing technique in the guinea light, since no increase in day length is recommended
fowl using biometric, molecular, and vent sexing tech- until the phase of planned light stimulation is reached
niques. (Thiele, 2009). The phase of planned light stimulation
was identified by the onset of lay in two birds at 21
WOA. This could not be planned earlier because laying
MATERIALS AND METHODS age varies considerably between 20 to 40 weeks of age
in these birds (Awotwi, 1987). At this age, the lights
Experimental Site were gradually adjusted to 14 hr.
The study was conducted at the Poultry Unit of the
Department of Animal Science, University for Develop- Experimental Procedure
ment Studies, Nyanpkala, Tamale (Ghana). Nyanpkala
lies on latitude 9◦ 69 N and longitude 0◦ 83 W. Tem- All procedures used followed approved guidelines for
peratures are generally high with minimum and maxi- the ethical treatment of animals. Birds were sexed using
mum values of 22◦ C and 35◦ C recorded in March and three methods as follows:
December, respectively (Innes, 1977). Rainfall is mono- Biometric Sexing. Twenty birds per sex per age
mial with mean annual rainfall varying from 1,000– group were studied. Sexes were retrospectively con-
1,500 mm and peaks from August to September, with firmed using the gonads. All parameters were recorded
a relatively long dry season extending from November to the nearest 0.1 mm (except body length, wing span
to April. The area lies in the Guinea Savannah zone. and body height which were recorded to the nearest 0.1
cm). The following morphological traits were measured
at four-week interval from 1–32 WOA.
Animals and Management
A total of 360 local guinea fowls (Numidae melea- i. Head length: This was taken with a pair of
gris; 180 per sex) of the pearl variety, were used for calipers and measured from the tip of the beak
the study. Birds were brooded for 6 weeks (Teye and to the back of the occipital bone.
Gyawu, 2002), and then transferred to a deep litter ii. Head width: Measured from one side of the face
house until the end of the experiment. They were in- to the other between calipers.
dividually identified using tags placed through their in- iii. Wattle length: This was measured with a ruler
ner wings to prevent detection by other birds and thus and spanned from the point of attachment to the
avoid pecking. Keets were brooded at 35◦ C from hatch- tip of the wattle. The longest length was taken.
ing until three WOA, and then at 32◦ C until six WOA iv. Helmet thickness: This was measured with the
(Teye and Gyawu, 2002). Birds were then maintained helmet trapped in between the calipers from left
at ambient temperatures between 22◦ C and 35◦ C until to right at the base (not front to back, which may
the end of the experiment. Feed and water were sup- be considered as helmet width).
plied ad libitum. Day old keets were fed ground maize v. Length of neck: Measured with a flexible tape, it
in flat feeders followed by a starter ration from day 2 un- spanned from the occipital condyle to the point
til 6 WOA. This was followed by a grower ration from 6 of attachment of the neck to the rest of the body.
WOA until 21 WOA, and then a layer feed until the end vi. Length of pair of wings/wing span: Measured
of the experiment. The starter (22% crude protein and from the glenohumeral joint to the farthest
3,000 Kcal ME/kg diet), grower (14% crude protein and feather on the phalanges on each side (i.e. left
2,800 Kcal ME/kg diet), and breeder (17.5% crude pro- and right wings).