Methanolic extract of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves mitigates experimentally induced coccidiosis challenge in Japanese quails

Abstract

Eimeria infection is a common parasitic disease in Japanese quails. A total of 150 male Japanese quails were equally assigned to five experimental treatments as follows: control (basal diet only), negative control (Eimeria challenged), amprolium treated, 130 mg/l methanolic extracts of neem leaves (NMLE 130) and 190 mg/l methanolic extracts of neem leaves (NMLE 190). All the E. tenella-infected quails were orally dosed with sporulated oocysts (n = 5.5 × 104). The results showed that compared to the negative control, supplementation of NMLE increased feed consumption, body weight and feed conversion ratio in Eimeria-infected quails. Mortality percentage and lesion score were significantly (P