Histological investigations on the effects of feeding a diet containing red hot pepper on the reproductive organs of the chicken.

In the present study the growth and reproductive organ differences in chickens fed a diet containing 1% red hot pepper (10 g/kg diet) from the first day of age were investigated. In birds fed with the experimental diet it was observed that the abdominal fat content decreased. During the experiment the increase in weight gain in the treated group in the first 4 months was reversed in favour of the control group in month 5. Follicular development in the treated group was faster and laying started 11 days before the control group, and the epithelial and muscular development of the oviduct was always greater than that of the control group. The results indicated that red hot pepper consumed in lower concentrations during the development period in the chickens caused faster development of the reproductive system organs. Laying started 11 days earlier in chicks fed with the red hot pepper added diet, an important economic aspect for egg producers, but which may have implications for other animals. A decrease in abdominal fat content and disorders of lipid metabolism are still under investigation. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.