Abstract
Abstract In the present work, we carried out an experiment aiming at evaluating the use of Neem as an antimicrobial substance in the feeds of broiler chickens. We used 240 one-day-old Cobb broiler chicks distributed in an entirely casual design, with 4 treatments, 6 repetitions and 10 birds per experimental unit, during a 21-day experimental period. Treatments consisted of a basal diet with no antimicrobial inclusion, a diet with 0.05% of tylosin, and a diet with 0.05% and 0.1% of Neem. Parameters evaluated were zootechnical performance, feed digestibility, intestinal count of Salmonella sp. and Escherichia coli, and the development of lymphoid organs. Data on the performance and metabolization of nutrients were subjected to an ANOVA and averages were compared with a post-hoc Tukey test considering α=0.05. Data on E. coli counts were analyzed with a Kruskal-Wallis test. Neem did not influence performance variables. The metabolization coefficient of dry matter and feed ethereal extract was better with tylosin (P<0.05). No growth of Salmonella was observed during the experiment. The use of Neem did not reduce E. coli population and had no influence on lymphoid organs' weight. Therefore, Neem had no effect on the performance, digestibility and intestinal microbiota of birds up to 21 days old.
Highlights
Brazilian broiler production has been one of the most developing farming activities in the last decades, in such a way that strategies for a more efficient production are increasingly being sought
Several studies have been conducted with natural products with antimicrobial activity to substitute the antibiotics used in these birds’ feed
The objective of the present work was to evaluate the use of Neem (Azadirachta indica) as an antimicrobial in broiler chicken’s feed, aiming at improving intestinal health, nutrient metabolization, and zootechnical performance
Summary
Brazilian broiler production has been one of the most developing farming activities in the last decades, in such a way that strategies for a more efficient production are increasingly being sought. In order to reach high levels of production and pathogen control for broiler chickens, one of the alternatives is to use feed additives capable of promoting growth. Some of these products are suffering several restrictions for possessing similar molecules to the ones found in human antibiotics. Tipo et al[4] state that the treatment using Neem as an anticoccidian in broiler chickens was superior to sodium salinomycin
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