EFFECT OF NEEM (AZADIRACHTA INDICA) AND BITTER LEAF (VERNONIA AMYGDALINA) ETHANOLIC EXTRACTSON THE BLOOD PROFILE OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP

Abstract

A study was aimed at investigating the impact of feeding neem (Azadirachta indica) and bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) ethanolic extracts on WAD Sheep performance, aligning with the global move away from antibiotic growth promoters in animal nutrition. The sheep were subjected to four treatments in a completely randomized design: Distilled water (T1), Neem extract 50 mL/kg of feed (T2), Bitter leaf extract (T3), Neem + Bitter leaf extract (T4) at 50 ml/kg of feed. There was a
significant (p<0.05) increase in RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH, and MCHC in sheep on T3 and T4 compared with sheep in the control group, also there were more WBCs in sheep in T2 than in the other treatment groups. Total protein, albumin, and globulin were higher in T4 (p<0.05). Serum enzyme levels (AST, ALT, and ALP) were moderate, while cholesterol, triglyceride, and LdL concentrations were low. Administering neem + bitter leaf extracts at 50ml/kg DM feed enhanced growth performance and health status, suggesting their use as growth-promoting additives.