The welfare parameters of Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) Fed Diets Supplemented with Dry Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) Leaf under the Organic System

Received : 03/12/2019 Accepted : 23/12/2019 This study was conducted to determine the welfare indicators and some serum biochemical parameters of standard guinea fowl genotype fed diets supplemented with dry oregano (Origanum vulgare L., OV) leaf under organic housing system. A total of 240-day-old guinea fowl keets (mixed-sex) were allocated randomly into 4 dietary groups, each with 3 replicates. The birds were fed on the basal diet with supplementation of control (0 g/kg), 5 g/kg, 10 g/kg or 15 g/kg dry OV for 16 weeks. Tonic immobility (TI), relativity asymmetry (RA), fluctuating asymmetry (FA), rectal temperature and some biochemical parameters were measured. TI, duration of tonic immobility and rectal temperature had no significant differences among groups at 6, 10 and 14 weeks, respectively. There was not a significant difference in the FA and RA of phalanx length, width and length of tarsometatarsus values among groups. It is concluded that dry oregano leaf supplemented diet of Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) had no effect on measures of welfare parameters such as the fluctuating asymmetry, relativity asymmetry, tonic immobility and rectal temperatures.