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

珍珠鸡是许多非洲国家，特别是加纳的基本营养支柱。重要的是，许多家禽是在粗放式系统下饲养的，主要是由低收入农民，包括妇女和儿童饲养的。在这些系统中，家庭生产鸡蛋和肉类，产品既用于喂养农场家庭，也用于出售以支付学费、农场材料和淡季食品等费用。然而，有一个主要问题：幼鱼（饲养）存活率很低，据估计，在加纳，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，在产前和产后早期发育期间所经历的环境条件对个体应对挑战性环境的能力有很大的影响。这些适应力上的差异可能导致健康状况、生育能力和以后生活中的存活率的改变。迄今为止，还没有系统地探索发育条件如何影响珍珠鸡。这个项目旨在解决我们知识上的这一空白。珍珠鸡对农民及其家庭营养的重要性不容低估。因此，拟议中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。

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.