EVALUATION OF NEEM LEAF EXTRACT (AZADIRACHTA INDICA) ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE OF BROILER FINISHER CHICKENS

^*Danwe, A. B; ^*Mufwa, J. B; ^*Finlak, E. A; ^*Danlami A. and ^**Forku .A.

^*Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture Jalingo Taraba State, Nigeria.

^**Department of Animal Health, College of Agriculture Jalingo Taraba State, Nigeria.

Abstract

A four weeks feeding trail was conducted to evaluate the effect of varying levels of neem (Azardirachata indica) leaves extract on growth performance of broiler finisher chickens, 120 broiler finisher chicken were randomly weight and divided into four groups (treatment) designated as T1, T2, T3, and T4 of thirty (30) bird. Each replicated 3 times, in a completely randomized design and was administered clean drinking water with 0g, 3g, 4g and 5g neem extract respectively. All were given same basal diets of broiler finisher. The result shows that inclusion of varying neem extract did not affect feed consumption and water intake of the birds in the entire treatment group. Also the result of the carcass and biochemical profile were not significant (p70.05) affected by the basal diets and neem leaf extract.This indicates that the use of neem leaf extract as supplement for antibiotic in broiler production is both safe and healthy.

Keywords: Medical value of neem leaf, Neem Leaf in animal production, plant origin, local extraction, natural and safe.