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

采用多学科方法最大限度地提高撒哈拉以南非洲小农珍珠鸡养殖场的可持续性和福利

• 批准号: 2748083
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of St Andrews
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2748083
• 关键词: multi; disciplinary; approach; maximise; sustainability

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.

珍珠鸡是许多非洲国家，特别是加纳的主要营养来源。重要的是，许多家禽是在广泛的系统下饲养的，主要是由低收入的农民，包括妇女和儿童。在这些系统中，家庭生产鸡蛋和肉类，产品用于喂养农场家庭，并在歉收季节出售以支付学费，农业材料和食物等项目。然而，有一个主要问题：青少年（keet）存活率很低，估计加纳在生命的前八周内死亡率为60-100%。对其他家禽物种的研究表明，出生前和出生后早期发育期间所经历的环境条件对个体科普挑战性环境的能力有着强大的影响。这些弹性的差异可能会导致晚年健康，生育力和生存的改变。到目前为止，还没有系统的探索如何发展条件影响珍珠鸡。该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容低估。因此，拟议的项目代表了一个开展新研究的机会，对动物的福利和脆弱但必不可少的农业方式的可持续性产生重大影响。