EC Nutrition

Research Article Volume 21 Issue 6 - 2026

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Neem and Mulberry Leaf Powders on Production Performance, Egg Quality, and Egg Yolk Cholesterol in Laying Hens

Swarno Shekhor Roy1, Sabbir Hossen Sabuz2*, Mst. Afroja Khatun1 and Tahera Yeasmin1

1Department of Dairy and Poultry Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Bangladesh
2Department of Animal Science and Nutrition, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Bangladesh

*Corresponding Author: Sabbir Hossen Sabuz, Department of Animal Science and Nutrition, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bangladesh.
Received: July 17, 2026; Published: August 30, 2026



Objective: This study evaluated the dietary effect of a fixed level of neem leaf powder (NLP) with graded levels of mulberry leaf powder (MLP) on production performance, egg quality characteristics and egg yolk cholesterol in commercial laying hens.

Methods: A total of 180 laying hens aged 32 weeks were randomly allocated into five treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment consisted of 36 birds with three replicates of 12 birds each. Hens were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control diet), 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10% MLP. In addition, all treatment groups except the control received 1.0% NLP in the diet. The feeding trial was conducted for eight weeks. Production performance including hen-day egg production, body weight, egg weight, as well as internal and external egg quality traits and yolk cholesterol were evaluated.

Results: The results showed that dietary supplementation with NLP and MLP had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on production performance and most egg quality characteristics compared with the control, although overall numerical improvements were observed. Albumen diameter was the only egg quality trait significantly affected by the dietary treatments (P < 0.05). However, egg yolk cholesterol was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) with the inclusion of 1% neem leaf powder (NLP) together with increasing levels of mulberry leaf powder (MLP). The greatest reduction was recorded in hens fed the diet with 1.0% NLP and 7.5% MLP.

Conclusion: Supplementation of laying hen diets with 1.0% NLP in combination with MLP effectively reduced egg yolk cholesterol without adversely affecting laying performance or egg quality. Although the greatest cholesterol-lowering effect was achieved with 7.5% MLP, dietary inclusion of MLP up to 10.0% was well tolerated, indicating its potential as a functional feed ingredient for producing low-cholesterol eggs.

Keywords: Phytogenic Feed Additive; Neem Leaf Powder; Mulberry Leaf Powder; Egg Yolk Cholesterol; Laying Hens

  1. Abbas Ghulam., et al. "Azadirachta indica: the medicinal properties of the global problems-solving tree”. Biodiversity and biomedicine. Academic Press (2020): 305-316.
  2. Akintomide AA., et al. "Haematology and serum biochemistry of cockerels fed diets containing neem leaf meal”. Applied Tropical Agriculture 1 (2018): 12-16.
  3. Al-kirshi Riyadh., et al. "Utilization of mulberry leaf meal (Morus alba) as protein supplement in diets for laying hens”. Italian Journal of Animal Science3 (2010): e51.
  4. Ansah GA., et al. "Selection for low yolk cholesterol in Leghorn-type chickens”. Poultry Science1 (1985): 1-5.
  5. Asrat Meseret., et al. "Effects of supplementation of different levels of garlic (Allium sativum) on egg production, egg quality and hatchability of White Leghorn chicken”. Livestock Research for Rural Development3 (2018): 37.
  6. Bais B., et al. "Nutritive value of sares and neem leaves in Marwari goats”. Indian Journal of Animal Nutrition3 (2002): 266-268.
  7. Bonsu FRK., et al. "Medicinal response of broiler chickens to diets containing neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf meal, haematology and meat sensory analysis”. World Applied Sciences Journal6 (2012): 800-805.
  8. Chen Dandan., et al. "Effects of mulberry leaf flavonoid and resveratrol on methane emission and nutrient digestion in sheep”. Animal Nutrition4 (2015): 362-367.
  9. Chen Fang., et al. "Dietary Morus alba leaf supplementation improves hepatic lipid accumulation of laying hens via downregulating CircACACA”. Poultry Science 102.11 (2023): 103042.
  10. Dey B., et al. "Efficacy of neem leaf meal as a hypocholesterolemic dietary additive in laying pullets”. Bangladesh Journal of Animal Science 1-2 (2011): 13-17.
  11. Gayathri SL., et al. "Effect of dietary supplementation of Azadirachta indica leaf meal on production performance, egg quality and serum biochemical profile of Vanaraja laying hens”. Indian Journal of Poultry Science3 (2020): 183-188.
  12. Ghasi S., et al. "Hypocholesterolemic effects of crude extract of leaf of Moringa oleifera Lam in high-fat diet fed Wistar rats”. Journal of Ethnopharmacology1 (2000): 21-25.
  13. Hu Hong., et al. "Mulberry branch fiber improved lipid metabolism and egg yolk fatty acid composition of laying hens via the enterohepatic axis”. Microbiome1 (2024): 73.
  14. Huang Zhenwu., et al. "Dietary mulberry-leaf flavonoids improve the eggshell quality of aged breeder hens”. Theriogenology 179 (2022): 177-186.
  15. Igugo RU., et al. "Effects of substitution of antibiotics with medicinal plant leaf meals on egg-laying performance and egg qualities”. SSRN 5086609 (2022).
  16. Kenny AP. "The determination of cholesterol by the Liebermann-Burchard reaction”. Biochemical Journal4 (1952): 611-619.
  17. Kılınç Gözde. "The effects of black mulberry (Morus nigra) leaf powder on performance, egg quality, egg antioxidant capacity, and yolk cholesterol levels in laying hens”. Journal of Anatolian Environmental and Animal Sciences 8.4 (2023): 714-719.
  18. Lin WC., et al. "Effects of mulberry leaves on production performance and the potential modulation of antioxidative status in laying hens”. Poultry Science5 (2017): 1191-1203.
  19. Mason Pamela. "The importance of eggs in an environmentally sustainable diet”. Nutrition Bulletin3 (2023): 400-410.
  20. Mathur Shalini and Rameshwar Singh. "Antibiotic resistance in food lactic acid bacteria-a review”. International Journal of Food Microbiology3 (2005): 281-295.
  21. Munțiu-Rusu M-I., et al. "The effects of dietary mulberry leaf powder in laying hens' diets on internal and external egg quality parameters and yolk color”. (2022): 129-137.
  22. National Research Council. "Nutrient requirements of poultry”. National Academy of Sciences Press, Washington DC, USA (1994).
  23. Nesheim MC., et al. "Poultry Production. 12th edition”. Lea & Febiger. Philadelphia (1979).
  24. Olabode AD., et al. "Influence of neem (Azadirachta indica Juss) leaf meal on the serum biochemistry and yolk cholesterol of laying birds (a case study at Ishiagu, Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State)”. International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences 3.4 (2014): 177-180.
  25. Olteanu Margareta., et al. "Effect of dietary mulberry leaves on performance parameters and nutrient digestibility of laying hens”. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences8 (2012): 914-917.
  26. Opara Maxwell. "Physiological response of laying birds to Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf meal-based diets: body weight organ characteristics and haematology”. Online Journal of Health and Allied Sciences2 (2006).
  27. Osho BI., et al. "Nutrient composition and antioxidant properties of neem (Azadirachta indica) and sweet potato leaves as alternative resource in poultry production”. Applied Tropical Agriculture1 (2021): 181-189.
  28. Pal Mahendra and Judit Molnár. "The role of eggs as an important source of nutrition in human health”. International Journal of Food Science and Agriculture1 (2021).
  29. Patel SN., et al. "Feeding strategies for the production of designer eggs and meat”. Veterinary Today 7 (2024): 378-382.
  30. RP Patil., et al. "Effect of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder on egg composition parameters of commercial layers”. Indian Journal of Animal Production and Management3-4 (2017).
  31. Saddul D., et al. "The potential of mulberry (Morus alba) as a fodder crop: The effect of plant maturity on yield, persistence and nutrient composition of plant fractions”. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences12 (2004): 1657-1662.
  32. Siddiqui Rukkiya., et al. "Effect of replacing rice polish with mulberry (Morus alba) leaf powder in diet containing phytase enzyme on performance and haemato-biochemical parameters of commercial laying hens”. Indian Journal of Veterinary Sciences and Biotechnology1 (2022).
  33. Singh MK., et al. "Neem leaf meal supplementation for profitable poultry production: A review”. Indian Journal of Poultry Science3 (2017): 239-245.
  34. Siti N Wayan., et al. "Effect of Moringa oleifera leaf powder in diets on feed digestibility and external egg quality characteristics in laying hens”. International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies4 (2019): 113-118.
  35. Venkatesh KR., et al. "Use of mulberry leaves as supplementary food in cow and goat to improve milk production”. International Journal of Applied Research 13 (2015): 81-84.
  36. Wadhwa D., et al. "Production of heart-healthy eggs through dietary manipulations of hens”. Himachal Journal of Agricultural Research1 (2017): 1-9.
  37. Walker Sam and JI Baum. "Eggs as an affordable source of nutrients for adults and children living in food-insecure environments”. Nutrition Reviews2 (2022): 178-186.
  38. Yigrem Minichle., et al. "Effect of neem (Azadirachta indica), girawa (Vernonia amygdalina) leaves meal and garlic (Allium sativum) on performance and egg qualities of layer chickens”. Journal of Applied Poultry Research4 (2024): 100469.
  39. Zhang Bo., et al. "Positive effects of Mulberry leaf extract on egg quality, lipid metabolism, serum biochemistry, and antioxidant indices of laying hens”. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 9 (2022): 1005643.
  40. Zhang Hongxia., et al. "Effects of mulberry fruit (Morus alba) consumption on health outcomes: A mini-review”. Antioxidants 7.5 (2018): 69.

Sabbir Hossen Sabuz., et al. “Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Neem and Mulberry Leaf Powders on Production Perfor- mance, Egg Quality, and Egg Yolk Cholesterol in Laying Hens”. EC Nutrition 21.6 (2026): 01-10.

ECronicon Journal

Our Services

Quick Links

Information

Creative Commons LicenseOpen Access by ECronicon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Based on a work at www.ecronicon.net