The aim was to evaluate the use of Brazilian red pepper meal (BRPM) as an additive natural in feed on performance of broilers. A total of 396 day-old male chicks, Cobb, distributed in a randomized design in groups of three treatments and six replicates of 22 broilers each, consisting of the negative control - basal diet without growth promoter or brazilian red pepper; positive control - diet with zinc bacitracin and salinomycin; diet with 1.2% BRPM. Regarding the chemical composition of the BRPM it was verified that the ether extract, crude fiber, calcium, total phenolics, total and condensed tannins were higher than in corn, although other nutrients such as protein and phosphorus have values close those observed in this grain. There was no significant difference between treatments on animal performance. The BRPM reduced significantly the concentrations of alanine aminotransferase and gamma glutamyltransferase enzymes at 21 and 41 days old, respectively, compared to the CN, without compromising the weight gain. This reduction suggested a decrease of protein synthesis probably due to a lower absorption of aminoacids. It was concluded that the utilization of 1.2% of BRPM did not reduce the animal performance.
Brazilian red pepper; hepatic enzymes; tannins