EFFECTS OF SUPPLEMENTAL NEEM (Azadirachta indica) AND GARLIC (Allium sativum) ON GROWTH AND CARCASS YIELD OF FINISHING BROILER

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding diets containing Neem Leaf Meal (NLM), Garlic Meal (GM) and their combinations (NLM + GM) on growth performance and carcass yield of finishing broiler. A total of 180 day-old Cobb broiler chickens were divided into twelve groups of fifteen chicks with three replicate of five chicks each. The diet contained NLM, GM and NLM + GM at four levels of inclusion (0mg/kg, 500mg/kg, 1000mg/kg and 1500mg/kg). The experiment was arranged in a 3 × 4 factorial layout in a completely randomized design. Additives and levels of inclusion had no significant (P>0.05) influence on performance parameters except feed intake which was influenced (p 0.05) influence on performance parameters except feed intake which was influenced (p<0.05) by NLM + GM and 1000mg/kg levels of inclusion. Final live weight (2516.67g/bird), weight gain (1742.00g/bird), daily weight gain (62.2g/bird/day) and feed conversion ratio (2.32) were improved (p<0.05) at 1500mg/kg levels of inclusion of NLM + GM. Thigh (11.68%), wings (8.44), neck (4.23%) and gizzard (2.13%) of birds fed GM were improved (P<0.05) than those of NLM. Carcass weight was influenced (p<0.05) by additives at various inclusion levels with wings (9.01%), head (3.39%), neck (4.52%), shanks (4.49%) and gizzard (2.42%) highest (p<0.05) in birds fed GM at 1500mg/kg levels of inclusion than those of 0mg/kg levels of inclusion. It was concluded that the use of NLM + GM as additives yielded commendable result on performance and carcass weight of finishing broiler birds Keywords : Neem, garlic, broilers, performance, carcass characteristics.