Morphometric Characterization of Local Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) Populations in Northern Ivory Coast

Yeo, Wongnigué Issac and Nâdri, Aya Lydie and Nâzi, Kouassi Ange Mickael and Konan, Yao Koffi Narcisse (2026) Morphometric Characterization of Local Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) Populations in Northern Ivory Coast. Journal of World's Poultry Research. 204 - 214. ISSN 2322455X

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Abstract

Guinea fowl production plays a key role in rural poultry systems in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to food security and adaptation to harsh environmental conditions. The present study aimed to evaluate the morphometric variability of 479 local guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) reared under traditional free-range systems in six Northern regions of the Ivory Coast. Guinea fowl were aged at least six months, with an estimated mean age of approximately 7-8 months. Eight quantitative traits, including body weight, breast angle, breast circumference, wingspan, body length, drumstick length, tarsus length, and tarsus diameter, were measured according to FAO guidelines. Body weight (22) and breast angle (20) showed the highest variability, whereas morphometric traits such as breast circumference, wingspan, body length, drumstick length, tarsus length, and tarsus diameter generally exhibited low dispersion. Region significantly influenced all traits. Guinea fowl from Kabadougou and Poro exhibited superior morphometric performance, while those from Bounkani and Tchologo recorded lower measurements. Sexual dimorphism favoring females was observed for most traits, particularly body weight. Multivariate analyses identified three distinct morphological clusters. The greatest Mahalanobis distance (24.15) separated clusters with the highest and lowest growth potential. Wingspan, breast circumference, body weight, and tarsus length were the most discriminating traits. In conclusion, wingspan, breast circumference, body weight, and tarsus length were the most significant discriminating morphometric characteristics. The most notable production potential was observed in the cluster characterized by higher values of these traits, indicating superior growth and body conformation, which is favorable for breeding and conservation programs. © The Author(s) 2026. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Guinea fowl; Morphometric trait; Phenotypic characterization; Poultry
Subjects:	Q Science > Q Science (General) S Agriculture > SF Animal culture
Divisions:	Journal of World's Poultry Research (JWPR)
Page Range:	204 - 214
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of World's Poultry Research
Journal Index:	Scopus
Volume:	16
Number:	2
Publisher:	Scienceline Publication
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.36380/jwpr.2026.19
ISSN:	2322455X
Depositing User:	Dr. Daryoush Babazadeh
URI:	https://eprints.science-line.com/id/eprint/1773

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