Impact of Neem Leaf Meal as a Feed Supplement in Poultry

Abstract

Azadirachta indica, commonly known as neem, has attracted worldwide attention in recent years, owing to its wide range of medicinal properties. Based on the research studies carried out, it may be concluded that Neem leaf meal can be included in the diets of broiler chicks up to 2.5 g/kg without any deleterious effects on their performance, serum biochemical constituents and haematological indices. The use of antibiotics in boilers should be discouraged and can be replaced with Neem leaf meal. Moreover, the dietary supplementation of Neem leaf meal may lead to the development of low-cholesterol chicken meat as demanded by health-conscious consumers. Also, neem leaf meal can be used as an alternative by the poultry sector for antibiotics.