An Encapsulated Blend of Cinnamaldehyde, Carvacrol and Capsicum Oleoresin Increases Performance of Broilers Compared to a Shuttle Program

Studies have demonstrated that a metabolizable energy (ME) value of 50 kcal/kg could be attributed to 100 ppm of an encapsulated blend of cinnamaldehyde, carvacrol and capsicum oleoresin (XT, XTRACT® 6930 – Pancosma). In addition, a previous work showed that XT led to greater performance compared to a standard supplementation of bacitracine in broilers. Therefore the objective of this trial was to evaluate if XT could lead to similar performance to a shuttle program with bacitracin and virginiamycin in broilers.

A total of 1200 day old broilers were randomly allocated to 40 floor pens of 30 birds each for 42 days. Birds were fed ad libitum a corn soybean meal diet in three phases (starter, grower, and finisher).Three dietary Treatments were applied: NC: non supplemented negative control; PC: positive control supplemented with 50 ppm bacitracine in starter and grower phases, and with 20 ppm virginiamycin in finisher phase; XT: experimental group supplemented with 125 ppm XT in starter and grower phases, and with 100 ppm XT in finisher phase. Body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), mortality adjusted FCR, feed costs and net benefits were evaluated. Data were analyzed by a 2-tailed distribution basic T-test model with equal variances assumed.

FI was similar among Treatments. Final BW of birds fed XT and PC were not different but significantly higher than NC (respectively 2.25, 2.27 and 2.19 kg, P < 0.05). FCR in XT group was intermediate to NC and PC (respectively 1.84, 1.88 and 1.83 g/g) but was different (P < 0.05) among the 2 control treatments. Mortality adjusted FCR of birds fed XT and PC were not different but significantly lower than NC (respectively 1.82, 1.82 and 1.86 g/g), P < 0.05). This shows that XT increases performance of broilers at the same level as the tested shuttle program, which is in accordance with results showing the effect of the product on performance using meta analytical tools (Bravo, 2009).

Feed cost and net income were similar in PC and XT groups and higher (P < 0.05) than NC. This suggests that XT can lead to similar benefits as PC.

Birds supplemented with XT have equivalent growth performance and economical benefits to broilers fed a shuttle program with bacitracin and virginiamycin.

The XT can be therefore a good alternative to reduce the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in poultry production.

Bravo D. 2009. Meta Analysis of the Effect of a Mixture of Carvacrol, Cinnamaldehyde and Capsicum Oleoresin on Broilers. 17th European Symposium on Poultry Nutrition.