Comparative Efficacy of Salinomycin Sodium and Neem Fruit (Azadirachta Indica) as Feed Additive Anticoccidials in Broilers

Abstract: The anticoccidial efficacy of a herb, neem fruit (Azadirachta indica) is compared with an ionophorus anticoccidial Kokcisan (salinomycin sodium) against coccidiosis in broilers. Two hundred and forty one-day-old broiler chicks were reared for 42 days. These birds were divided into 6 groups i.e. A,B,C,D,E and F comprising of 40 birds each. There were six treatments, 25 gm salinomycin sodium/50 kg feed (A), 50 gm ground neem fruit/50 kg feed (B), 100 gm ground neem fruit /50 kg feed (C), 150 gm ground neem fruit/50 kg feed (D), infected non-medicated (E), non-infected non-medicated (F). Groups A,B,C,D and E were given a challenge dose of coccidial oocyst at the age of 22 days. Weight gain, feed consumption, oocysts in the faeces, clinical findings and mortality were recorded. The result revealed that the birds of non-infected non-medicated group had better (P<0.05) weight gain as compared to medicated groups. The birds of Salinomycin sodium group have better weight gain and feed efficiency as compared to other treated groups but the difference was non significant (P>0.05). Moreover, neem fruit 150 gm/50 kg feed had excellent performance in terms of oocyst count and lower mortality as compared to other treated groups. Key Words: Broilers, anticoccidial (neem), anticoccidial (Kokcisan