A brief physiological note on helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) reared in intensive rearing system in Mizoram

A total of 12 helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) consisting of 3 males and 9 females were reared in intensive rearing system for one year. The birds were in the age group of 8-9 months. Physiological parameters viz. respiration rate, pulse rate and cloacal temperature were recorded in the early morning in the interval of two months. Blood samples were collected from wing vein for haematology in the interval of three months. The average body weight was 1.53±0.05 kg. Respiration rate, pulse rate and cloacal temperature were 70.71±4.85 breaths/min, 301.60±11.96 beats/min and 41.92±0.19 oC respectively. Haemoglobin, total erythrocyte count, total leukocyte count and packed cell volume were 11.92±0.36 g/dl, 3.07±0.24 million/µl, 29.83±0.62 thousand/µl and 41.92±2.33% respectively. The study indicated normal physiological and haematological parameters of guinea fowl reared in the intensive rearing system. Physiological indices and haematological findings indicated adaptive mechanisms of helmeted guinea fowl to higher altitude.