Níveis de inclusão de capsaicina sobre os parâmetros de fermentação e digestibilidade in vitro

Abstract

The use of additives in animal feed makes it possible to maximize gains in production performance by manipulating rumen fermentation patterns, generating changes in the composition of the rumen flora and making the synthesis of products from rumen digestion more efficient. One active ingredient that is being studied to improve animal performance is capsaicin, an additive that contributes to metabolic acceleration, immune strengthening and alteration of microbial fermentation. This work therefore evaluated the effects of including capsaicin in sheep diets through an in vitro study, with the aim of determining the dose of the active ingredient capable of interfering with dry matter digestibility and rumen fermentation parameters, such as VFA and N-NH3 production. The inoculum used for rumen incubation was prepared from a mixture of buffer solution and rumen fluid in a 2:1 ratio. The incubation substrate was a diet commonly used for pregnant sheep, with CAPCIN added. The treatments evaluated were: control, without the addition of capsaicin; addition of CAPCIN (CAP) at dosages of 150mg, 300mg and 600mg/animal/day (1.5, 3.0 and 6.0mg/animal/day of capsaicin). After each incubation time (0, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours), the glass jars were opened and the pH was measured using a potentiometer and samples of the liquid phase were taken to determine the concentration of ammonia and VFA. Ruminal N-NH3 concentration was determined using the phenol-hypochlorite method by spectrophotometry. VFA analyses were carried out on high-performance liquid chromatography systems after collecting the liquid fraction. The TNT bags with residual substrates were weighed to estimate the apparent disappearance of the DM. Data analysis showed that there was a significant effect of capsaicin doses (P<0.001) and evaluation times (P<0.001) on DIVMS. The results obtained indicated that there was no effect of the capsaicin dose (P>0.05) on pH. However, the results showed a quadratic equation (R2 = 89.6%) for the variation over time. The use of up to 600 mg of capsaicin/animal/day did not influence (P>0.05) the concentration of N-NH3. The treatments evaluated also had no effect (P>0.05) on the concentration of total VFA and there was no interaction between treatment and incubation time. The overall average for total VFA production was 29.93 mmol. L-1. Total VFA production varied linearly (R2 = 94.5%) over the incubation time. The doses of capsaicin evaluated had no effect (P>0.05) on the production of propionate and acetate and there was no interaction between treatments and incubation time.