Effect of feeding water washed neem (Azadirachta indica) seed cake and salt sprinkled neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves on blood parameters, feed conversion efficiency and economics of feeding in Osmanabadi kids

Twenty four Osmanabadi weaned male kids with average live weight of 10.80 kg (5-6 months old) were divided into four equal groups in a Randomized Block Design and fed with water washed neem (Azadirachta indica) seed cake (WWNSC) and salt (2%) sprinkled neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves for 182 days to study the effect on blood parameters, feed conversion efficiency and economics of feeding. The kids (T 0 ) were fed with control diet without WWNSC and salt sprinkled neem leaves, (T 1 ) WWNSC (15% DCP) individually, (T 2 ) salt sprinkled neem leaves individually (15% DCP), (T 3 ) WWNSC (15% DCP) in combination with salt sprinkled neem leaves (15% DCP) as a protein source along with concentrate mixture, green maize and ad libitum sorghum kadbi. The concentration of blood parameter (Blood glucose, total serum protein and heamoglobin) did not differ significantly (P<0.01) among all treatments groups. However, its concentrations increased throughout experimental period in all treatments group including control. While, Blood urea nitrogen concentration was significantly (P<0.05) higher in group fed with salt sprinkled neem leaves than group fed with WWNSC individually and in combination with salt sprinkled neem leaves while comparable with control groups. The feed conversion efficiency (FCE) for dry matter, DCP and TDN was comparatively higher in groups fed with salt sprinkled neem leaves individually than groups fed with WWNSC individually and in combination with salt sprinkled neem leave when compare with control groups. The feeding cost per kg live weight gain was comparatively less (Rs. 150.73) in group fed with salt sprinkled neem leaves individually than groups fed with control diet (Rs. 164.08) and group fed with WWNSC individually (Rs. 183.10) while comparable to groups fed with WWNSC and salt sprinkled neem leaves (Rs. 157.55) in combination. It concluded that, feeding of salt sprinkled neem leaves individually (15% DCP) was comparatively more economical than rest of all treatments groups without adverse effect on blood parameter.