Genetic determination of plumage color in the domestic guinea fowl (Numida meleagris)

Abstract

Guinea fowl, although less widespread and uneven distributed in the world, and indicated in some
countries (including ours) as a non-traditional bird species, is gaining more and more popularity even
in countries such as Scandinavia and Japan. The production and consumption of products of this species in recent years has grown in almost all over the world. This is explained not only by the excellent
taste and dietary qualities of their meat, but also by their high vitality, adaptability and resistance to
most diseases characteristic of birds. Last but not least, the guinea fowl is highly valued as an ornamental and park bird. It can also be successfully used in parks, gardens and grassy area to reduce
populations ticks, responsible to the spread of Lyme disease. The guinea fowl is also the subject of
hunting tourism. Unfortunately, in our country we do not have any traditions for the consumption of
meat and eggs of this species of bird and it is present only in small, amateur farms and hunting farms.
Under these conditions, the level of selection work is low and productivity is mediocre. From the color
varieties in our country is grown almost exclusively pearl gray guinea fowl. Single pieces of white,
purple and blue guinea fowl can be found in private amateur herds, but they are the result of random
crossings. The whole diversity of color varieties in the type of guinea fowl is determined by four autosomal loci, three of which are recessive (d, i, m), and the fourth (W) is not completely dominant.
The dominant allele of the w gene inhibits the production of all types of pigments in individuals homozygous for it (WW) and they are completely white. The dominant allele (M) of the m gene inhibits
pigmentation in such a way that the pigment breaks off and so thus light (white) pearls characteristic
of this species of bird appear. The recessive alleles of genes i and d determine the different shades of
blue.