HAEMATOLOGICAL AND SERUM BIOCHEMICAL INDICES OF BROILER CHICKENS ADMINISTERED NEEM (Azadirachta indica) LEAF INFUSION AS A REPLACEMENT FOR ANTIBIOTICS

Abstract

Ninety-day-old broiler chicks were used in a six-week trial to evaluate the effect of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf infusion on haematological and serum biochemical profiles of broilers. The birds were randomly assigned into five (5) groups in a completely randomized design. Each group was sub-divided into three (3) replicates of six (6) birds each. The neem leaf infusion (NLI) was included at 0g/L,10g/L, 20g/L, 30g/L and 40g/L as a source of antibiotics. Blood samples were collected from three birds in each treatment and evaluated for packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC) and white blood cell differentials at the end of the trial. Total protein, albumin, globulin, Aspartate aminotransferase enzyme (AST), Alanine transaminase (ALT) and Alanine phosphatase were evaluated for biochemical profile. Data collected were evaluated using one-way analysis of variance. Packed cell volume was significantly (p<0.05) affected in favour of birds on 40g/L NLI (33.00%), haemoglobin and red blood cell were not significantly (p>0.05) influenced by NLI. White blood cell was significantly (p<0.05) different across the treatments in favour of birds on 10g/L NLI (25.88 X109 /ml). Total protein, albumin and globulin were not significantly (p<0.05) affected. Aspartate aminotransferase, ALT and ALP were statistically (p<0.05) different across the treatments with birds on 40g/L NLI having the highest values (212.33, 36.30 and 239.35ul, respectively). The current findings suggest that NLI up to 40g/L has no deleterious effect on haematological profile of broilers; nevertheless, biochemical indices revealed that NLI should not be used above 20g/L to avert liver damage