Chemical Composition and Energy Nutritional Value of the Meat of Guinea Fowls (Numidameleagris), Fattened to different Ages

The aim of the study was to investigate the chemical composition and energy content of the meat of young guinea-fowls, with different duration of the fattening period, raised in a free-range, semi-intensive production system. The authors establish the following data: dry matter content- from 27.08 to 28.82% in breast muscle and from 23.83 to 26.56% in thigh muscle; crude protein in dry matter –from 86.19to 93.54% in breastand from 82.02 to 87.84% in thigh muscle; crude fat in dry matter - from 5.64 to 7.58% in breast and from 9.02 to 11.05% in thigh muscles. The average energy content in 100 g dry matter varies from 23.7 (breast muscle, 16 weeks of age) to 25.07 kJ (thigh muscle, 24 weeks of age).