THE SUPPLEMENTATION OF BROILER FEEDS WITH CAPSICUM BASED ADDITIVE IMPROVES ANIMAL PERFORMANCE. THE RESULTS OF A META-ANALYSIS.

Capsaicin isthe main active compound in capsicum oleoresin derived from red pepper (Capsicum spp.). Studies have demonstrated that the inclusion of plant extracts high in capsaicin can improve the productivity of broiler chickens. The meta-analysis is a useful tool to perform a joint analysis of different studies as it increases the statistical power of the test when comparing the mean of a control diet and a treatment (i.e. a feed additive). In this study, we used the technique of meta-analysis to address if the phytogenic additive based on capsaicin LUCTAROM® Convert (LOM) improves broiler chicken performance. A total of 8 in-vivo nutritional trials run by the company LUCTA S.A. between 2003 and 2019 were analysed. They were performed in different experimental facilities testing the effect of the additive LOM on average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), feed conversion ratio FCR and mortality in broilers fed from 1 to 21 and from 22 to 35-42 days of age. The data were analysed using a mixed model with LOM supplementation, sex, dietary fat type and their interactions as fixed effects and the trial as a random effect. Dietary fat level and age at the end of the growth period were included as lineal covariates. The supplementation with LOM during the first period (1-21 days of age) significantly improved FCR 1.431 vs. 1.418 g/g for control and treatment respectively (P = 0.0062). Also, the additive inclusion tended to increase ADG (P = 0.052) with no effects on ADFI (P = 0.80) and mortality (P = 0.25). The positive effect of the additive on FCR tended to be higher (P = 0.060 vs. 0.198) in feeds with animal source as added fat rather than with vegetal. Similar findings were observed for the second period from 22 to 35-42 days of age. The supplementation with LOM in grower feeds improved ADG from 95.1 in control to 96.3 g/d in treatment groups (P = 0.028) and tended to improve FCR from 1,759 to 1,744 g/g (P = 0.065). Again the positive effect of the additive on FCR tended to be higher (P = 0.10) in feeds with animal source as added fat than with a vegetal fat source (P = 0.22). The meta-analysis of 8 trials with LOM shows a significant improvement of this additive based on capsaicin on broiler performance.