Assessment of Antimicrobial Properties of Neem (Azadirachta indica) and Moringa (Moringa oleifera) Leaf Meal in Broiler Chicken Production

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the effects of different levels of Moringa leaf meal (MLM) and Neem leaf meal ((NLM) as substitutes to antibiotics on broiler production. Two hundred and ten-day-old broiler chicks were randomly allotted to seven dietary treatments of three replicates (10 birds /replicate). The treatments were T1 (25g of oxytetracycline/4kg feed), T2 (600g MLM/100 kg feed), T3 (600 g NLM/100 kg feed), T4 (300g MLM + 300g NLM /100kg feed), T5 (450 g MLM + 150g NLM/100 kg feed), T6 (150g MLM + 450g NLM/100kg feed) and T7 (control).Antibacterial activities of MLM and NLM extracts were determined in-vitro, using disc diffusion method. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance. A total of 188speciesof bacteria were isolated and identified with Escherichia coli being the most frequently (29.3%) isolated while Clostridium species were the least (0.5%) of the isolates. Total bacterial counts were highest (3.75×103 Log cfu/g) in T7 and lowest (3.29×103 Log cfu/g) in T3. The highest (3.9±0.35 mm) zone of inhibition was recorded in T3, while T1 recorded the lowest (1.40±0.10mm) zone of inhibition. In conclusion, T3 (600g/100kg feed) of neem leaf meal in broiler diet produced the highest antibacterial effects.