Effect of capsaicin and capsaicin plus DL-methionine hydroxy analog in diet on growth performance and gastrointestinal conditions of nursery pigs

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of supplemental capsaicin (CS) or capsaicin plus DL-methionine hydroxy analog (CS+LMA) in diets on growth performance and gastrointestinal conditions of nursery pigs. Seventy-two castrated male piglets (BW 7.79 ± 0.02 kg) were offered diets for 6 weeks as follows: 1) control diet, 2) control diet with capsaicin 2.5 ppm (CS), and 3) control diet with capsaicin 2.5 ppm plus DL-LMA 0.05 % (CS+LMA). The dietary treatments did not influence growth performance, gastrointestinal pH and the bacterial population in the caecum (P>0.05). However, in the caecum, number of Lactobacillus spp. tended to increase (P=0.09), and lactic acid concentration was increased (P less than 0.05) by CS+LMA supplementation. The supplemental CS or CS+LMA increased the villus height (P less than 0.01), and CS+LMA supplementation increased the crypt depth (P less than 0.05) in the segment of duodenum compared to the control group. The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was not influenced by CS or CSLMA supplementations (P>0.05). In conclusion, supplementing CS improved the small intestinal morphology, and there were synergistic effects on the duodenal crypt depth and caecal lactic acid when LMA was combined with CS.