Haematology and Serum Biochemical Indices of Layer Chicken Fed Neem Leaf Meal as a Protein Source

A study was conducted to investigate the inclusion of neem leaf (Azadirachta indica) as a protein source in the diet of layers. A total of one hundred and fifty pullets were assigned to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Dietary treatments were formulated with varying levels of Neem Leaf Meal (NLM) inclusion. D1 (0% NLM), D2 (5% NLM), D3 (10% NLM), D4 (15% NLM) and D5 (20% NLM) with 30 birds per treatment, 10 birds per replicate and replicated thrice. Packed cell volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb), Red blood cell (RBC), White blood cell (WBC), Platelets (PLT), Lymphocytes (LYM), Heterophils (HET) and Eosinophils (EOS) were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the inclusion of neem leaf. Total protein (TP), Albumin (ALB), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Uric Acid (Uric), Creatinine (CREAT), Glucose (Gluc) and cholesterol (Chol) were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the treatments in layers diet. Therefore, 20% NLM inclusion is recommended to boost the blood parameters of laying hens' optimal performance.