Haematological Response of Growing Male Pigs Fed Dietary Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) Kernel

Abstract

Several studies had been carried out to evaluate the suitability of utilizing neem as a feed ingredient in pig production with varied results. The negative effects of anti-nutrients in neem had been reported.  The haematological response of growing male pigs fed with diets in which maize was partially replaced with neem kernel (NK) was thus investigated. Forty crossbred (Large White x Landrace) male weanling pigs were allotted into experimental treatments in a completely randomised design to evaluate the influence of NK inclusion in swine diets at 0, 50, 100 and 150 g/kg on haematological profile; packed cell volume (PCV), erythrocytes (RBC), haemoglobin (Hb), leukocytes (WBC) and corpuscular indices. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Haematological profile of growing male pigs on 150 g/kg NK diet indicated significant differences (P<0.05) in PCV (34.0%), RBC (7.5x10⁶/μl), Hb concentration (11.3g/100ml), mean corpuscular volume (45.3fl) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (33.2%) compared to control with 39.3 %, 6.3x10⁶ /μl, 12.5 g/100ml, 62.8 fl and 32.0 % respectively. Pigs on 50 and 100 g/kg NK diets gave similar values with those on control for all parameters. Results observed in this investigation indicated that neem kernel can be included up to 100 g/kg in growing male pigs’ diets.