Research findings on indigenous guinea fowl in Nigeria and the constraints on the local production are discussed. The most pressing problems include low hatchability, high mortality up to eight weeks, lack of reliable advice on veterinary and other problems and a shortage of sources of hatching eggs and young stock. In addition to early mortality, which may be as high as 60%, the characteristic timid, but very active, flighty and noisy temperament probably contributes to poor feed conversion efficiency through high energy output and feed wastage. Nigerian guinea fowl tend to be slow growing, weighing less than 1 kg at 8 weeks of age, and do not come into lay until about 1 year of age. Although monogamous in the wild, a sex ratio of 1:4 can give good fertility. Egg production is confined to the rainy season from April to October. Sex identification presents an enormous problem for most guinea fowl farmers. The nutrient requirements of native guinea fowl have not been established, making it impossible to be sure that balanced diets needed for optimum production are fed. The most important intestinal parasites are Eimeria sp., Ascaridia galli, Heterakis sp. and Capillaria caudiflata. The main external parasites are lice (Damalina sp. and Argas persicus).

In most European countries barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important feedstuff for poultry, and its use could increase with changes in economic circumstances. Compared with wheat, barley contains more fibre and less energy. The nutritive value and suitability of this grain as a feedstuff for growing poultry are more or less affected by varying β-glucan concentrations. The anti-nutritive effects of β-glucan in the gastrointestinal tract of young chicks can be avoided by adding β-glucanase of microbial origin to barley-containing or barley-based diets, thus making this grain crop acceptable for broiler fattening diets. Feed mixtures for layers may contain a higher proportion of barley without negative effects on egg production. When formulating diets, the low content of linoleic acid has to be considered.

Gizzerosine [2-amino-9-(4-imidazoyl)-7-azanonanoic acid] was isolated from a fish meal which caused black vomit in broiler chicks. Those given a diet containing fish meal which caused black vomit or synthetic DL-gizzerosine secreted excess gastric juice. The excess juice resulted in gizzard erosion and black vomit. In all the experiments, amongst chicks that died, those without gizzard perforation were greater in number than those with such lesions. It is considered that gizzard perforation by excess gastric juice is not the most serious lethal effect of gizzerosine. Chicks have been found to exhibit wide variation in sensitivity to gizzerosine. In a 4-week feeding trial of a fish meal that caused black vomit, 25 out of 100 died but nine grew normally. It should therefore be possible to estimate the maximum permissible concentration of gizzerosine in practical broiler diets. In the case of manufacturing facilities in which vapour is used to dry the fish meal indirectly, the conditions which avoid gizzerosine formation are known. It is desirable to determine safe conditions for fish meal drying when the process uses hot air heated by a flame.

This paper reviews the current state of knowledge of the avian basophilic leukocyte. It includes a description of the general morphology of the cell derived from light and electron microscopy. The relative and absolute counts of basophils in different species are described, including the current status of the cytochemical constituents in their characteristic granules. The role of the basophil during the acute inflammatory response following exposure to non-infectious and infectious agents is examined. In birds basophils appear to play an important role in early inflammatory and immediate hypersensitivity reactions, but differ from those in mammals by not contributing to delayed hypersensitivity. They are crucial participants in cutaneous basophilic hyper-sensitivity reactions and in passive cutaneous and systemic anaphylaxis. The role of the basophil in the stress response in birds is discussed. When some birds are exposed to severe stress a basophilia develops – a physiological response that may be unique to birds.

From earliest times up to the present day, the anatomy of poultry has been depicted by artists whose work has been acclaimed for its scientific accuracy and for its artistic qualities. Six examples are presented that illustrate the lymphatic system, reproductive organs, skeleton, respiration, embryonic blood circulation and plumage.