The results of this study revealed that neither Brazilian red pepper essential oil nor the antibiotic were of any benefit to the performance of weanling pigs. However, the effectiveness of growth enhancer additives may be limited in low challenging situations or rigorous sanitary control of the facilities, as observed in the current study. Therefore, further information is required on the compounds present in Brazilian red pepper essential oil, in addition to their effects and potential application under different conditions in swine feed.