Effect of methanolic stem bark extract of Azadihiracta Indica on morbidity and mortality of chickens experimentally infected with velogenic Newcastle disease virus (kudu 113)

Newcastle Disease (ND) is a dangerous disease of poultry all over the world. Economically, ND is characterized by mortality which may reach up to  100% in affected poultry farms. This study was designed to evaluate the protective properties of crude methanolic extract of Azadihiracta indica in chickens experimentally infected with a velogenic strain of ND virus. A hundred- day old cockerel was brooded for three weeks before randomly  divided into five equal groups (I, II, III, IV and V). They were not vaccinated with ND vaccine LaSota. At six weeks of age, each bird in groups I-IV was inoculated with 0.2mL of the live ND viral inoculum intramuscularly while group V was not inoculated with the virus. Thereafter, groups I, II and III were daily given in drinking water 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 600mg/kg of Azadihiracta indica extract, respectively whereas, groups IV and V were not treated with the extract. All the groups were monitored for the onset of clinical signs, morbidity and mortality rate. In all the groups inoculated with the ND virus, about 80% birds showed signs of depression, gasping, coughing, increased thirst, complete inappetence, huddling, diarrhoea, partial/complete paralysis on day 2 post inoculation (PI). A hundred percent (100%) mortality rate was recorded for groups I and IV by day 5 PI and  in groups II and III on day 6 PI. Therefore, under the conditions of this study, oral administration of Azadihiracta indica extract does not protect birds from ND. Keywords: Azadihiracta indica stem bark; methanolic extract; chickens; Newcastle diseas