Development and current state of guinea fowl breeding in the Republic of Mari El

Introduction. One of the specialized sub-sectors of poultry farming is the breeding of guinea fowl. The popularity of this industry is due to the fact that, compared with other agricultural species of birds (chickens and turkeys), guinea fowls acclimatize faster in new conditions, are unpretentious in maintenance and more hardy; they are much less likely to suffer from infectious diseases than chickens and other poultry. The purpose of the research is to study and determine the main stages of the development of domestic and Mari guinea fowl breeding. To identify the role of the Mari State University, the Mari Research Institute of Agriculture, scientists for fifty years providing the creation and improvement of the first domestic breed of guinea fowl Volzhskaya Belaya. To outline the main ways to preserve the valuable gene pool of Volzhskaya Belaya Guinea fowl. Material and research methods. The research was carried out by generalizing, analyzing and systematizing the available scientific literature on the history of the development of domestic guinea fowl breeding, breed formation, methods of creating highly productive guinea fowl. Databases and archival documents of the scientific library of the Mari State University were used. Work was carried out on the systematization of autobiographical information, interdisciplinary research in the field of guinea fowl breeding. Research results. The time frame of the main stages of working with guinea fowls in the republic are established, taking into account the author's personal experience and participation in breeding work, efforts to preserve the gene pool of the first domestic guinea fowl breed and his exhibition activities. Four main stages of the development of guinea fowl breeding in the Republic of Mari El are identified. Methods of preservation of Volzhskaya Belaya guinea fowl during breeding in individual farms are proposed. The possibility of laying, reproducing new highly productive farm lines of guinea fowl and obtaining an interlinear cross of guinea fowl from them is shown. Conclusion. Scientists-guinea fowl breeders of the Mari State University and the Mari Research Institute have been proposed promising scientific directions that allow creating new, productive lines of guinea fowl adapted to the conditions of extensive maintenance, developing accurate methods for assessing, preserving and reproducing guinea fowl of the gene pool herd in a small group.