Morphogenesis of the cerebrum of grey breasted helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris galeata) at incubation period

This study was carried out to investigate the development of the brain in the grey breasted helmeted guinea fowl in Nigeria. Domestication of this species of bird is in an increase, but scanty documentation on the development of cerebrum and how it relates to the neurobiology of this bird is lacking. A total of seventy four (74) fertilized grey breasted helmeted guinea fowl eggs purchased from National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria and other local breeders within Jos and its environs were used for this study. Grossly, the cerebrum of the helmeted guinea fowl appeared first on day 4 of incubation and was lissencephalic throughout the incubation period. The mean weight of the cerebrum was established to be 0.010 ± 0.003 g on day 5 pre-hatch. The weights progresses steadily but weighed less than 3.0 g on day 28 prior to hatching. At day 5 of incubation, there were numerous neuroblast migrating from the neuroepithelium of the lateral ventricles. Blood vessel was the first organ to be formed. The cerebrum was first observed to appear on day 4 of incubation. The cerebrum was fully formed void of olfactory lobe at pre-hatch period.