The effect of age, sex and rearing system on differential count in Guinea fowl

Twenty four Pearl Guinea fowls each were placed in cages and on floor and were maintained under standard managemental conditions. Once every four weeks from the fourth week onwards, blood was collected from these birds up to 16 weeks of age and differential counts were estimated. The results revealed that age had a highly significant (P<0.01) effect on lymphocyte count in Pearl guinea fowl with the younger guinea fowl of 4 and 8 weeks having higher value. Between sexes the female guinea fowl had significantly higher (40.25 ± 1.80) per cent lymphocyte when compared to male (38.49±1.54) per cent. Age had a highly significant effect (P<0.01) on heterophil count in guinea fowl with older birds age groups of 12 and 16 weeks had higher heterophil per cent of 51.71±3.17 and 50.73±3.91, respectively when compared to younger birds. Cage reared birds had significantly (P<0.01) higher heterophil per cent of 52.64±1.88 as compared to floor reared guinea fowls. Males had significantly (P<0.01) higher eosinophil per cent of 5.49±0.40 and 4.77±0.44 per cent in female and monocyte per cent (5.86±0.68) in male and female of 4.71±0.67 per cent. Birds reared on floor exhibited a higher eosinophil per cent of 6.04±0.32 and monocyte per cent of 6.90 ± 0.47. The present study revealed that older guinea fowls had a higher count of heterophils while younger birds had a higher count of lymphocytes. Lymphocytes were higher in Jennies while jacks had a higher eosinophil and monocyte count. Cage reared guinea fowl had significantly higher heterophils while those on floor had higher eosinophils and monocyte count.