Performance of broiler chicks fed on diets containing urea ammoniated neem(Azadirachta indica) kernel cake

1. The performance, nutrient utilisation, blood profile, carcase compositio n, gross pathology and sensory evaluation of meat from broiler chicks fed f rom 3 to 42 d on diets containing urea ammoniated neem (Azadirachta indica, A. juss) kernel cake (NKC) as a protein supplement to replace peanut meal (PNM), were evaluated. NKC was ammoniated with urea at 15 (UANKC 1) or 25 g (UANKC 2)/kg and incorporated into the test diets to replace either half ( 134.5 g/kg (L-UANKC 1) and 127.5 g/kg (L-UANKC 2), respectively) or all (26 9 g/kg (H-UANKC 1) and 255.0 g/kg (H-UANKC 2), respectively) of the nitroge n provided by the PNM. 2. The growth, food intake and efficiency of nutrient utilisation of the bi rds were comparable between the reference and L-UANKC 1 and 2 diets but wer e depressed on the other UANKC diets. 3. The retention of dry matter (DM), crude fibre (CF), nitrogen-free extrac t, total carbohydrate, gross energy, acid detergent fibre, calcium and phos phorus were similar among groups, except lower DM and higher CF and phospho rus retentions were noted in chicks fed on the H-UANKC 1, H-UANKC 2 and L-U ANKC 2 diets. All the chicks were in positive nitrogen balance and percenta ge nitrogen retention did not differ between the reference and test diets. 4. Haemoglobin, total erythrocyte count and aspartate amino transferase act ivity were unaffected by diet, but total leucocyte count was higher in chic ks fed on the H-UANKC 1 and 2 diets and alanine amino transferase activitie s were lower in chicks fed on the test diets. Blood urea increased as the a mount of urea in the diets increased. 5. Most of the physico-chemical carcase characteristics from birds fed on t he L-UANKC 2 were comparable to those from birds fed on the reference diet. No bitter taste was noticed in cooked meat from any diet by the sensory pa nel. 6. Incorporation of L-UANKC 2 was economical and responses were comparable to those observed on the reference diet. 7. It was concluded that NKC detoxified with 25 g urea/kg can economically and successfully replace half the nitrogen of PNM in broiler diets thereby mitigating the chronic shortage of costly oil cakes in developing countries .