Effect of Brazilian red pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) essential oil on performance, diarrhea and gut health of weanling pigs

• 500 mg/kg essential oil had greater villi density than antibiotic, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg essential oil.
• Treatments had no effect on peformance, diarrhea, pH, villus height, crypt depth and microbiology.
• Neither Brazilian red pepper nor the antibiotic were of any benefit to the growth of weanling pigs.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary Brazilian red pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) essential oil and an antimicrobial agent on weanling pig growth performance, diarrhea occurrence, pH of the digestive content, small intestine histology, and intestine microbial counts. Ninety weanling castrated male pigs (5.6±0.78 kg BW and 21-d old) were used in a randomized complete block design experiment with five treatments, six replications per treatment, and three animals per experimental unit (pen). The treatments were a basal diet supplemented with 0 (negative control), 500, 1000, and 1500 mg/kg Brazilian red pepper essential oil vs with 120 mg/kg chlorohydroxyquinoline (antibiotic treatment). At the end of the experimental period one animal from each pen was slaughtered to record the pH of digestive contents, small intestine histology, and intestine microbial counts. Treatments had no effect (P>0.05) on growth performance, diarrhea occurrence, pH of the digestive content, villus height, crypt depth, and intestinal microbial counts of weanling pigs. However, pigs fed the diet containing 500 mg/kg essential oil had greater villi density (P<0.05) than those fed diets containing the antibiotic or 1000 and 1500 mg/kg essential oil. Thus, both Brazilian red pepper essential oil and the antibiotic are of limited benefit for enhancing the growth of weanling pigs. However, the effectiveness of growth enhancer additives may be reduced in low challenging situations as demonstrated by the current study.