Evaluation of Methionine and Cysteine Requirements for Optimal Growth Performance of the French Guinea Fowl Broiler

Protein is a key nutrient in poultry nutrition and has a significant share in the cost of feeding, directly influencing feed conversion, carcass quality, and the weight gain of poultry, both traditional such as chickens and the non-traditional such as the guinea fowl. Methionine and cysteine are amino acids used as building blocks and constituents of proteins in poultry. Even though the methionine and cysteine requirements for traditional poultry are known, there is deficiency of such information for the guinea fowl. The objective of this research was to evaluate methionine and cysteine requirements for optimum growth performance of the French guinea fowl broilers from hatch to 8 weeks of age (WOA). The experimental diets were fed in phases: starter and finisher at 0-4 WOA and 5-8 WOA, respectively. The birds were assigned to dietary treatments in a completely randomized experimental design in 3 x 3 factorial arrangements of dietary treatments comprising 3 concentrations of methionine (0.40%, 0.45%, and 0.50%) each in combination with 0.35%, 0.40%, and 0.45% cysteine. The experiment had a total of 496 guinea fowl assigned to the dietary treatments, and each dietary treatment was replicated 3 times with 18 birds per replicate. The experimental birds were weighed weekly, and feed consumption, feed conversion, and body weight gain were determined weekly. Based on the findings of this study, birds that were fed diets containing 0.50% - 0.45% methionine and 0.45% - 0.35% cysteine had the highest body weight gain at 0-3 WOA. At 4-8 WOA, diets containing 0.50% methionine and 0.45% - 0.40% cysteine had the lowest feed conversion ratio. Therefore, diets containing 0.45% methionine and 0.35% cysteine and 0.50% methionine and 0.40% cysteine at 0-3 WOA and at 4-8 WOA, respectively, will be utilized more efficiently and economically by the French guinea fowl broiler. This information will provide consumers guidelines for feeding guinea fowl broilers to help minimize feeding costs.