EFFECT OF RED HOT PEPPER (Capsicum annum) ON PERFORMANCE AND MEAT SHELF LIFE OF BROILER CHICKEN

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to study the effects of feeding diets containing different levels of red hot pepper (Capsicum annum) on the growth performance of broiler chickens. One hundred and twenty (120) day old unsexed broiler chicks were assigned randomly into four treatments replicated three times with ten birds per replicate using deep litter system of management. Red hot pepper was included at 0.00%, 1.00%, 1.25% and 1.50% representing T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. The red hot pepper was added to a commercial broiler starter diet. Parameters measured were average weekly feed intake, average weekly body weight, average weekly body weight gain and average weekly feed conversion ratio, capsaicin level, heamatology, serum biochemistry and meat shelf life of the broiler birds. The results showed that the consumption of higher (>1%) levels of feed containing red hot pepper significantly (P<0.05) affected feed intake (T1,T2,T3 and T4 are 365.19, 395.82, 426.33 and 430.70 respectively), body weight (T1,T2,T3 and T4 are 294.13,352.93, 353.83 and 331.56 respectively) and had significant effect (P>0.05) body weight gain and feed conversion ratio at the starter phase. At finisher phase, the results showed that the consumption of higher (>1%) levels of feed containing red hot pepper significantly (P<0.05) affected feed intake (T1, T2, T3 and T4 are 595.38, 734.17, 740.33 and 748.67 respectively), body weight (T1,T2,T3 and T4 are 1136.60, 1437.10, 1343.20 and 1305.0 respectively) and body weight gain (T1,T2,T3 and T4 is 191.06, 258.76, 242.23 and 231.75). Feed conversion ratio were not significantly affected (P>0.05) at the finisher phase. The red blood cell and the white blood cell were significantly (P<0.05) affected and thus control treatment T1 had highest value (RBC is 94.85 and WBC is 39.7). The cholesterol, glucose and free fatty acid were not significant affected (P>0.05). On meat shelf life, the result showed that the consumption of higher (>1%) levels of feed containing red hot pepper did not significantly (P>0.05) affect the meat shelf life. Cost of feed intake per kilogram body weight of the marshal broiler chicken on both the starter phase and the finisher phase showed no significant difference (p>0.05) although, at the finisher phase the value obtained from T2 andT3 (0.4502 and 0.4805 ) were lower than treatment T1 and T4(0.4433 and0.4433). It was concluded that, intake of capsaicin from red hot pepper inclusion in broiler diets improved the performance of the broiler chicken. Red hot pepper inclusion in broilers chicken diet at 1.25% is recommended to be used in broiler production.