Abstract:
The study was carried out to determine the comparative efficacy of Neem (Azadirachta
indica) and Moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf powder on the productive performance,
health status and microbial population of faeces and egg of commercial layer Japanese
quail. A total of 160 Japanese quails of 27 day-old were reared in Sher-e-Bangla
Agricultural University Farm, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Quails were divided randomly into
5 experimental groups each contained 4 replications and each replication contained 8
quails. These groups were allotted to five treatment designated as T
1
, T
2
Groups. T
1
was offered basal feed without any supplementation and served as a control.
Whereas, group T
2
, T
3
, T
4
and T
5
were offered basal feed supplemented with Antibiotic,
Neem + moringa – 1.2%, Neem + moringa – 1.0% and Neem + moringa – 0.75%
respectively. T
1
(control) showed the highest live weight (182.38 ± 5.16g) at 15
week
of age. But the results showed that the weekly egg production by number and weight
and % HDEP were maximum in T
5
(Neem + moringa – 0.75%) at the end of 15
week
of age (6.78 ± 3.01, 11.58 ± 0.07
a
g/egg and 91.58 ± 2.92, respectively) compared
control as well as other treatments. But highest feed consumption was found in T
2
(Antibiotic) which was (241.95 ± 5.92
a
g/bird) weekly. Again, T
5
(Neem + moringa –
0.75%) showed the best FCR (2.52 ± 0.03
d
at 15
th
week of age) whereas T
4
(Neem +
moringa – 1.0%) gave highest FCR (3.925
a
±0.388) at 10
th
week of age which was not
acceptable. Similarly, T
4
(Neem + moringa – 1.0%) showed highest survivability
(100%) whereas the least (94.00
b
±3.50) was from T
2
(Antibiotic). T
5
(Neem + moringa
– 0.75%) showed the maximum number of egg (6.78 ± 3.01 per week) along with the
maximum egg weight (11.58 ± 0.07
a
g/egg) at the 15
th
week of age. So it could be said
that neem and moringa leaf extract at 0.75% with water can improve the production
performance. T
3
(Neem + moringa – 1.2%) showed the lowest (4.15 ± 0.41
)
Salmonella sp. population on faecal sample whereas treatment T
5
(0.25% neem +
0.25% moringa– 0.75%) showed the highest (8.22 ± 0.32
ab
) Salmonella sp. population
contains. In conclusion, it can be said that Neem + moringa – 0.75% can positively
affect the production performance of Japanese laying quail but not significantly affect
the microbial population in faeces.
, T
3
, T
4
and T
5
th
th
c
Description:
A Thesis
Submitted to the Department of Poultry Science
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka
In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE (MS)
IN
POULTRY SCIENCE
SEMESTER: January-June, 2021
