Effects of Neem (<i>Azadirachta indica</i>) and Pumpkin (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i>) Seeds and their Combination as Feed Additive on Intake, Muscle chemical composition, Sensory Quality and Hematology of Broilers

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of feeding neem (Azadirachta indica) and pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seed as natural feed additive for broiler chicks on dry matter intake, mortality, meat quality and blood parameters of broilers. One hundred ninety two day-old Cobb 500 chicks distributed to four treatments with three replications in a completely randomized design. Feed offered and refusals were recorded and Dry matter intake was calculated as the difference between the two on dry matter basis. At the end of the trial, four broilers were randomly picked up from each replication and slaughtered for carcass evaluation and the treatment used were ration that contain only commercial broiler diet (0 kg Neem and pumpkin seed (0NS-PS)), 1kg neem seed on 100kg commercial broiler diet (1NS), 1kg pumpkin seed on 100kg commercial broiler diet (1PS) and 1kg of neem and pumpkin seed combination on 100kg of commercial broiler diet (1NS-PS) stands for Treatment1, Treatment 2, Treatment 3 and Treatment 4 respectively. The average daily dry matter intake during the entire experimental period was 106, 111, 114 and 117 g/ bird for 0NS-PS, 1NS, 1PS and 1NS-PS respectively, and it was significantly higher (p<0.05) for 1NS-PS as compared to 0NS-PS, 1NS and 1PS. The serum cholesterol and white blood cell of broilers in the experimental period were significantly (p<0.05) decreased but total blood protein was significantly (p< 0.05) increased among treatment. Crude protein content of breast and thigh meat was significantly high for 1NS-PS. It is concluded that neem and pumpkin seed can be a good feed additive for broiler production aside its nutritional importance.

Key words: Broiler; Feed additive; Hematology; Neem and Pumpkin seed.