Abstract:
Background and Objective: After hatching, day-old chicks usually have delay in feed access for 48-72 h before they are placed on farms. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of delayed access to feed on keets post-hatch performance, physiological and intestinal morphometric parameters. Materials and Methods: Four hundred day-old keets were distributed in a completely randomized design consisting of 2 treatments and 4 replicates with 50 birds per replicate. The treatments were: (1) Keets with immediate access to feed and (2) Keets with delay in feed access for 48h. Prior to feed access, the keets were weighed and reared for 11 weeks. Data were collected on feed intake, body weight. Also, blood samples were ollected at week 11 from guinea fowls for determination of triiodothyronine, thyroxine, total cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose and total protein levels. Guinea fowls were later slaughtered and intestinal morphometry were determined. Results: From 3 weeks onward, body weights of guinea fowls with immediate access to feed were higher (p<0.05) than those with delayed access to feed. Also, the weight and length of intestine of birds with immediate access to feed was higher than those with delayed access to feed. Triiodothyronine and thyroxine of guinea fowl with immediate access to feed were higher (p<0.05) than thosewith delayed access to feed. Total cholesterol, total protein and glucose of the birds with delayed access to feed were lower (p<0.05) than those with immediate access to feed. Conclusion: Delay in feed access more than 48h adversely affected growth performance of guinea fowl.