Effect of combination of whole millet feeding and mannan oligossaccharides supplementation on growth performance, serum biochemistry and relative organ weights of growing guinea fowl (Numidia meleagris)

A 84-day study was conducted to determine the effect of combination of whole millet feeding and mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) supplementation on growth performance, serum biochemistry and relative organ weights of growing guinea fowl. 192 One-day-old, male guinea fowls were randomly allocated to four treatment groups of 48 guinea fowl split over six replicates of eight birds. Dietary treatments were arranged in a 2×2 factorial arrangements of two diet forms (whole millet diets (WMD) and completely ground diets (CGD)) supplemented with and without 1 g/kg MOS. WMD contained similar feed ingredients as CGD except that certain quantity of millet grains (150 g/kg for 1–29 days and 450 g/kg for 29–84 days birds) were progressively removed and fed whole for WMD-fed group. Birds fed WMD had reduced (P<0.05) feed intake and improved (P<0.05) feed to gain ratio when compared to group fed CGD. Supplementation of MOS in diets for growing guinea fowl (29–84 days) notwithstanding the feed form resulted in increased (P<0.05) total serum protein, reduced (P<0.01) serum uric acid and cholesterol concentration. Birds fed WMD had higher (P<0.05) gizzard and thymus weights while dietary supplementation of MOS showed reduced (P<0.05) liver weights and increased (P<0.05) spleen weight. It was concluded that whole millet feeding when combined with MOS supplementation in growing guinea fowls showed improved growth performance, gizzard development, serum chemistry and positive influence on organ weights.