PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO THREE AVIAN VIRAL DISEASES IN GUINEA FOWLS IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

摘要

The grey-breasted helmet guinea fowl (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas) occurs naturally in the savannah grasslands of West Africa and has been a traditional source of eggs and meat. It is the second most important poultry in Nigeria after chickens. Guinea fowls are concentrated in the arid Northern part of the country with few thousands in the humid South. The southwest is the main port of entry of imported chicken and the home of major poultry breeders that distribute day-old chicks and feed throughout the country and beyond. There has been increasing interest in the improvement of guinea fowl to boost supplies of poultry meat and eggs. This has necessitated studies into their disease problems.