Economic Assessment of Broiler Fed with Red Chilli Powder

A six-week feeding trial was conducted to assess the economic impact of red chilli powder (Capsicum annuum) supplementation in broiler diets. Two hundred day-old broiler chicks (Cobb 430y) were randomly divided into five dietary treatments with four replicates per group. The control group (T0) received a standard basal diet, while T1 to T4 were supplemented with 2.5 g, 5.0 g, 7.5 g, and 10.0 g of red chilli powder per kg of feed, respectively. Results indicated that red chilli supplementation slightly increased production cost but significantly improved growth performance and profitability. The highest body weight (1.92 kg), net profit (Rs. 74.58), and benefit-cost ratio (1.37) were observed in the T4 group. Capsaicin, the active compound in chilli, likely enhanced feed efficiency through improved digestion and enzyme activity. Overall, the inclusion of 10 g/kg red chilli powder in broiler diets proved to be economically beneficial, offering a viable, natural alternative to synthetic growth promoters.