The Impact of Dietary Protein and Energy on the Growth and Nutrient Digestibility in Local Guinea Fowl Growers for Sustainable Development

This study evaluates the impact of dietary protein and energy on the growing Indigenous guinea fowl. The research was carried out at the Landmark University Teaching and Research Farm. In a 3 x 3 [protein levels16, 14, 12 %; energy levels 2850, 2750, 2650 kcal/kg ME] factorial experiment fitted into completely randomized design, 270 birds from the Keet phase were randomly allocated into 9 dietary treatment(D1-D9) of 3 replicates and 10 birds per replicate to assess the impact of dietary protein and energy levels on the growth and apparent nutrient digestibility of the Nigerian indigenous guinea fowl growers, from week 9 to 18, and housed in deep litter pens. The results demonstrated the importance of protein levels in the growth performance of guinea fowl, with 16% crude protein positively impacting average daily gain, average weekly gain, and final body weight. Lower protein levels (12 and 14%) led to decreased growth. The metabolizable energy is optimal at 2750 kcal/kg ME for maximum growth. The effect of protein and energy interaction levels was significant (p˃0.05) with a combination of 16% Cp: 2650 kcal/kg ME, showing better digestibility parameters than other diets. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the need for meticulous diet formulation to meet specific nutritional requirements. The 16% Cp: 2650 kcal/kg ME showing better values for growth and apparent nutrient digestibility is suggested as a starting point for feeding strategies for enhanced digestibility of important nutrients and growth in indigenous Nigerian guinea fowl growers.