Resumen de Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) leaves as growth promoter in lambs’ diets

José Alfredo Martínez Aispuro, José L. Cordero Mora, Antonio Martínez García, Germán D. Mendoza Martínez, Maria Teresa Sánchez Torres, J. Luis Figueroa Velasco

• Objective: To evaluate the dietary inclusion of neem leaves on the productive and biochemical performance of fattening lambs. Design/methodology: Forty male lambs were assigned according to a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of dietary inclusion of neem at 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 g kg-1 DM for 35 days.  Results: The inclusion of neem leaf in the diet did not affect the productive performance (P>0.05), while protein and energy metabolites were modified (P≤0.05). Limitations on study/implications: The bioactive compounds present in neem modified the metabolites related to protein and energy metabolism, although these changes did not reflect improvements in the productive performance. Conclusions: The inclusion of dietary neem (2.5-7.5 g kg-1) has no effect on the productive performance, although it does modify some energy and protein metabolites.