Impact of dietary purple neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves on growth, ability to neutralize free radicals and helminth control in meat goats

This study examined the effects of purple neem (PN) leaf supplementation in concentrate diets on growth performance, feed intake (FI), nutrient digestibility, antioxidant activity, and fecal parasite egg counts in crossbred male goats. Fifteen Chami × Anglo Nubian goats (20.43 ± 5.5 kg; aged 1-2 years) were randomly assigned to three treatments: 0, 3, and 6% PN leaf supplementation (DM basis). Goats were fed ad libitum with corn silage and concentrate diets containing 14% crude protein. PN supplementation significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) increased final body weight, weight gain, and dry matter (DM) intake, with the highest body weight at 6% inclusion. Digestibility of DM, crude protein (CP), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) improved at 3 and 6% supplementation. Antioxidant activities (ABTS, DPPH, and SOD) were significantly enhanced, indicating improved antioxidant defense. Moreover, fecal strongyle egg counts decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner, with the greatest reduction observed between days 28 and 56 at 3-6%. Overall, PN leaves demonstrate strong potential as a natural feed additive for improving health and productivity in goats.