THE PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE, INTESTINAL BACTERIA AND HISTOMORPHOLOGY OF BROILER CHICKS FED DIETS CONTAINING HOT RED PEPPER

Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate, the effect of feeding graded levels of hot red pepper on performance, ileal bacteria and histomorphology of broiler chicks. Four hundred day-old Ross broiler chicks were allocated into four groups. The chicks of the first group were fed basal diet (control) and the other three groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with three levels of red pepper as 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0%. Body weight gain and feed conversion ratio improved significantly due to feeding different graded levels of hot pepper. Hot pepper has broad spectrum bactericidal activity against the growth of gram negative pathogenic bacteria E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae, and gram positive lactobacilli bacteria.

Plasma cholesterol and total lipids reduced significantly at level of 1% and 2% red pepper. Feeding 2% pepper increased plasma total protein and albumin significantly while, 0.5% and 1% levels lacked significance. Hot red pepper supplementation did not affect the dressing carcass, liver and heart weight percentage or immune organs spleen and bursa. There were significant increments in intestinal villi length associate with significant reduction in crypt depth due to feeding hot pepper at 1% and 2% levels. It can be concluded that, adding hot red pepper into diets can improve broiler performance by increasing villi length and inhibiting harmful bacteria.