Neem (Azadirachta indica) | Feedipedia
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Neem (Azadirachta indica)
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Nutritional attributes
Feed categories
Neem leaves
All feeds
Forage plants Neem leaves have a moderate to good protein content (12-20% DM), moderate NDF and ADF contents but a high level of
Cereal and grass forages lignin (10-15% DM). Neem leaves contain high amounts of calcium but low amounts of phosphorus.
Legume forages
Forage trees Neem seed cake and neem seed kernel cake
Aquatic plants
Other forage plants The chemical composition of neem seed cake varies greatly depending on several factors. Neem seed cakes obtained from
Plant products/by-products
whole seeds have a relatively low protein content (12-20% DM) and a high fibre content (crude fibre 18-30% DM). Neem seed
kernel cake, obtained from decorticated seeds, has a much higher protein content (34-41% DM) and a lower fibre content (11-
Cereal grains and by-products
17% DM). Oil content depends on the method of extraction and ranges from less than 1% to more than 10% DM. Cakes
Legume seeds and by-products
obtained from partially de-pulped and decorticated seeds are intermediate depending upon the degree of de-pulping and/or
Oil plants and by-products
decortication of the seeds (Dutta et al., 2012).
Fruits and by-products
Roots, tubers and by-products
Sugar processing by-products
Potential constraints
Plant oils and fats
Neem products and by-products contain antinutritional and toxic factors. A comprehensive review of the literature on this
Other plant by-products
aspect published up to 2003 has been written by Boeke et al., 2004.
Feeds of animal origin
Animal by-products Limonoids
Dairy products/by-products
Animal fats and oils Neem leaves and seeds contain limonoids (azadirachtin, salanin, nimbin, nimbidiol, etc.), which are triterpernoid compounds
Insects that are both bitter and toxic to many animal species.
Other feeds
Minerals
Neem leaves and neem leaf extracts
Other products
Neem leaves contain large amounts of tannins (11%) and saponins (2.5%). In ruminants, condensed tannins and saponins
may be used to improve rumen ecology (Suchitra et al., 2008), but they are detrimental in monogastric species. Neem leaves
Latin names have been shown to be toxic in humans and many animal species. Traditional neem leaf-based medicines taken to treat febrile
illness, abdominal upset or to induce abortion or infertility had been shown to have acute toxic effects in humans (Boeke et al.,
Plant and animal families 2004). Acute toxicity followed by death was reported in a sheep that ate neem leaves (Ali et al., 1982). Subacute and semi-
Plant and animal species chronic effects on male reproduction have been reported in rats (Boeke et al., 2004). Leaves fed to poultry at 2-5% of the diet
resulted in many histopathological changes (Ibrahim et al., 1992a).
Resources
Alcoholic extracts of neem leaves (obtained with solvents such as ethanol, methanol, etc.) have been found toxic in mice, rats
Broadening horizons and rabbits (Boeke et al., 2004). Aqueous extracts (obtained after soaking the plant into water) were reported to cause health
Literature search problems in goats and guinea pigs at levels above 50 mg/kg BW. At higher doses, goats had tremors and ataxia with
Image search histopathological lesions (Ali, 1987). In chicks, the LD50 for aqueous extracts was 4800 mg/kg BW (Biu et al., 2010).
Glossary
Neem oil
External resources
Literature databases Though neem oil is widely used in traditional pharmacopoeia, several cases of morbidity and mortality have been reported in
Feeds and plants databases humans. Ingestion of neem oil has been associated with toxic encephalopathy, Reye's syndrome and metabolic acidosis
Organisations & networks (Jindal et al., 2012; Sundaravalli et al., 1982). Many studies have observed acute and subacute toxicity of neem oil in rats,
Books mice and rabbits. Doses of 14 and 24 mL/kg BW for rats and rabbits, respectively, resulted in acute toxicity, though one long-
Journals term study on rats fed 10% neem oil over 3 generations found the oil safe (Boeke et al., 2004). Processed oil (hydrogenated,
treated with KOH, solvent extracted) might be safer (Reddy et al., 1988 cited by Puri, 1999; Rukmini, 1987).
Neem seeds and fruits
Chicks fed on neem fruits were reported to suffer from hepato-nephropathy (Ibrahim et al., 1992b). Seed extracts have been
reported toxic in rats (Boeke et al., 2004).
Ruminants
Neem leaves
Neem leaves can be browsed or cut, dried and ground into leaf meal to be included in a concentrate diet (Puri, 1999). Fallen
leaves may be used as fodder but they are less palatable. Neem leaves have been described as the forage of choice during
dry periods and drought. For instance, in Gujarat, India, 15-20 kg/d of neem leaves were fed to cattle and buffalo during a
famine in 1976 (Ketkar, 1976 cited by Puri, 1999).
Palatability
Neem leaves are said to be palatable to camels and goats. In India, DM intakes of about 3% BW were reported in goats
(Amanullah et al., 2006; Bais et al., 2002). During dry periods, neem leaves were palatable to cattle (Patel et al., 1957;
Hentgen, 1985 cited by Puri, 1999).
Digestibility
Neem leaves have a relatively low nutritional value. In India, an estimated ME of 8.0 MJ/kg DM was reported (Ranjhan, 1980
cited by Puri, 1999). In Sudan, the in vitro OM digestibility of neem leaves was 51%, comparable to that of a local sorghum
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