A multi-disciplinary approach to maximise sustainability and welfare of small holder Guinea fowl farms in sub-Saharan Africa

在许多非洲国家，尤其是加纳，几内亚家禽是基本的营养支柱。重要的是，许多家禽是在广泛的系统下饲养的，主要由包括妇女和儿童在内的低收入农民饲养。在这些系统中，家庭既生产鸡蛋又生产肉类，产品既用于养活农场家庭，又被出售以支付学费、农资和食品等项目。然而，存在一个主要问题：幼鸟(Keet)存活率很低，据估计，加纳全国在生命的前八周内死亡率在60%-100%之间。对其他禽类物种的研究表明，出生前和出生后早期发育过程中经历的环境条件对个人应对具有挑战性的环境的能力具有强大的影响。这些韧性上的差异可能会导致以后的健康、繁殖力和存活率发生变化。到目前为止，还没有关于发育条件如何影响珍珠鸡的系统探索。这个项目旨在解决我们知识中的这一差距。珍珠鸡对农民及其家庭营养的重要性不可低估。因此，拟议的项目为开展新的研究提供了机会，对动物的福利和脆弱但必要的耕作方式的可持续性产生重大影响。

Guinea fowl are a fundamental mainstay of nutrition in many African countries, particularly Ghana. Importantly many fowl are reared under extensive systems, mostly by low-income farmers, including women and children. Families produce both eggs and meat within these systems and products are used for both feeding the farm family and are sold to pay for items such as school fees, farm materials and food in the lean season.However, there is a major issue: juvenile (keet) survival is low, with estimates across Ghana of between 60-100% mortality within the first eight weeks of life. Work in other poultry species suggests that the environmental conditions experienced during both pre- and early post-natal development have a powerful influence on an individual's ability to cope with challenging environments. These differences in resilience can lead to altered health, fecundity and survival in later life. To date there has been no systematic exploration of how developmental conditions impact guinea fowl. This project aims to address this gap in our knowledge. The importance of guinea fowl to the nutrition of farmers and their families cannot be understated. The proposed project therefore represents an opportunity to carry out novel research, to have a significant impact on the welfare of animals and the sustainability of a fragile but essential way of farming.