Aim: This study aims to analyse and characterise the leaf powder of Ficus carica, Ficus exasperata, and Ficus thonningii. Methodology: Ficus carica, Ficus exasperata, and Ficus thonningii leaf powder were analysed quantitatively for proximate, phytochemicals, minerals, and antioxidant activity. Results: The ash, crude protein, and nitrogen free extract concentration were significantly (P<0.05) higher in Ficus carica leaf powder than the rest Ficus species under study. However, the crude fiber and crude fat concentrations were higher (P<0.05) in Ficus thonningii and Ficus exasperata leaf powder, respectively. The concentration of tannins, flavonoids, phenols, and saponins was higher (P<0.05) in Ficus exasperata than other Ficus species under study. However, the concentration of the alkaloids was higher (P<0.05) in Ficus carica leaf powder than Ficus exasperata and Ficus thonningii leaf powder. The Zn and P were higher (P<0.05) in Ficus carica than the rest F. species under study. The Fe contents of F. carica and F. exasperata leaf powders were higher (P<0.05) than F. thonningii leaf powder. The Ca contents of F. carica leaf powder and F. thonningii leaf powder were higher (P>0.05) than F. exasperata leaf powder. The 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate value was higher (P<0.05) in Fiscus exasperata leaf powder than F. carica and F. thonningii. However, the value of vitamin c was higher (P<0.05) in Ficus carica, compared to the rest F. species. Conclusion: This study reveals that the leaf powder of F. carica, F. exasperata, and F. thonningii contains a significant number of minerals and phytochemicals with high antioxidant activity and could be employed as a natural feed supplement in animal nutrition.

Aim: This study aims to evaluate and characterise the Momordica charantia and Ocimum gratissimum leaf powder. Methodology: The quantitative analyses for proximate, phytochemicals, minerals, and antioxidant activities of Momordica charantia and Ocimum gratissimum leaf powder were carried out using standard procedures. Results: The result of the proximate analysis showed that both plants contain an appreciable amount of moisture, ash, crude fibre, crude fat, crude protein and nitrogen-free extract content,  with M. charantia leaf powder having higher moisture (5.49 ± 0.03%) content than O. gratissimum leaf powder (5.02 ± 0.01%) (P < 0.05).  Ocimum gratissimum had higher crude fibre content (25.03 ± 0.25%) than M.  charantia leaf powder (20.86 ± 0.12%) (P < 0.05).  The protein, ash, crude fat and nitrogen-free extract contents were not significantly different (p> 0.05) between the two leaf powders. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannin, flavonoid, phenol, alkaloids, saponin and phytate. Except for alkaloid content, M. charantia leaf powder had higher tannins (1.20±0.02 mg/g), flavonoids (225.64±14.61 mg/g), phenol (21.04±0.57 mg/g), saponins (57.36±0.08 mg/g) and phytate (7.79±0.25 mg/g) content compared to O. gratissimum leaf powder. The antioxidant activity of the plants showed that M. charantia leaf powder possessed higher DPPH scavenging free radical activity than that of O. gratissimum leaf powder. The mineral constituents revealed that both plants contain a significant amount of zinc, calcium, iron and phosphorus, with M. charantia leaf powder having higher zinc and calcium concentration than O. gratissimum leaf powder (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study shows that the leaf of M. charantia and O. gratissimum plants are rich sources of nutrients and phytochemicals and can be used as natural feed additives in animal nutrition.

A 28-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf meal on the performance, organ growth and economics of finishing broilers. The harvested neem leaves were chopped and air dried under room temperature for ten days until they became crispy while retaining the greenish colouration. The dry leaves were hammer milled with 2mm sieve to produce leaf meal before being incorporated into broiler finisher diets. Four isonitrogenous finisher diets were formulated; containing 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% levels of neem leaf meal (NLM) as partial replacement for maize in the diets. A total of one hundred and eight (108) 4- week old birds were randomly selected, weighed and assigned to the four treatments in a complete randomised design. The four treatments were replicated three times with nine (9) birds per replicate. The birds were fed ad libitum with their respective diets and freely supplied with water. Results showed that the neem leaf levels significantly (P<0.05) affected all the performance indicators. Birds on 5% NLM had similar average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) with birds on 0% neem leaf meal (control) but significantly (P<0.05) superior to birds on 10% and 15% neem leaf meal levels. On the relative organ weight, except for the heart, all the organs were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by the varying levels of neem leaf meal. The g/kgbody weight of the heart reduces as the level of NLM increases; with 15% NLM having the least heart weight (7.50±0.47g/kgbody weight). The cost analysis of replacing maize with neem leaf meal in the broiler finisher diets revealed that 15% level yielded least cost of feed consumed per bird (? 178.69), cost of feed consumed per kg body weight per day (? 6.38) and cost of feed per kg weight (? 55.84). It is concluded that 5% replacement level of maize will enhance optimum performance and organ growth while 10% NLM brings about the optimum cost benefit in feeding finisher broilers with neem leaf meal.