Quality of meat from two guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) varieties

The aim of the experiment was to evaluate dressing percentage and slaughter traits in 14-week-old guinea fowl of white and grey varieties, as well as to determine the fatty acid and metal content of breast muscle. Subjects were white and grey guinea fowl raised in confinement under controlled environment. They were fed complete diets for broiler chickens. Dissection of whole carcasses was performed after slaughter at 14 weeks of rearing. Breast muscles were analysed for metal content and fatty acids by gas chromatography. Based on the present study it is concluded that grey guinea fowl had higher pre-slaughter body weight, share of leg muscles, and total share of breast and leg muscles compared to white guinea fowl. Females of the white variety had greater share of breast muscles than males. The muscles of white guinea fowl contained more iron. The muscles of males of the white variety had a higher content of magnesium compared to females, whereas males of the grey variety had a higher zinc content than females. Breast muscles from white and grey guinea fowl were characterized by a higher content of UFA compared to SFA, with a predominance of PUFA over MUFA.