Analysis of the Technical and Sanitary Constraints of the Traditional Breeding of Guinea Fowl in “Région des Savanes” of Northern Togo

A survey to determine the causes of mortality of guinea fowl and the technical and sanitary constraints of the traditional breeding of guinea fowl was carried out among 106 poultry farmers from the Savannah Region in North Togo. The survey also made it possible to identify the breeding constraints and the endogenous practices of rearing of the guinea fowl. The results obtained from the investigations are: (i) the high rate (69.81%) of illiterates is not conducive to the definition or control of plans for prophylaxis and rationing. (ii) Breeders are unaware of disease-resistant strains of guinea fowl. (iii) Guinea fowl breeding starts with traditional methods, with 33.96% of the breeders who leave the guinea fowl in the wilderness and 13.21% who breed them in conflagration pell-mell. (iv) The formulations of food rations in order to satisfy the nutritional requirements of guinea fowl are virtually non-existent. The sources of proteins sometimes supplemented are only termites. However, food imbalance leads to growth lags. (v) Prophylaxis plans are not followed by breeders. Fifty two percent (52%) of the breeders self-medicate and other breeders (9.43%) do not treat. Several plants are used alone or in combination to control poultry diseases. (vi) biosecurity measures are non-existent in the farms (48.11% of the farmers give the dead guinea fowl to the children for consumption and 66% of the breeders throw the dead guinea fowl in the wild). (vii) The major constraints identified in this investigation are the remoteness of the veterinary supply centers, the lack of access to quality veterinary services, the low rate of training of farmers, the inadequate support of pastoralists livestock equipment; (viii) the problem of predators (93.40%) and the problem of access to effective veterinary products (79.25%) were noted.