Determination of Heavy Metals (Pb, Cd) and Evaluation of Commercially Produced Broiler Feed Available in Bangladesh

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the quality of ready-made broiler feed (starter and grower) procured from seven different feed mills of five divisions of Bangladesh. Seven feed mills were selected randomly from the different region of Bangladesh. Broiler starter and grower feed were collected from each of the feed mills by purchasing method for assessing the heavy metal contents i.e., Pb and Cd in this study. A total of 210 feed samples (105 starter and 105 grower) was collected from the selected feed mills and analyzed to determine the concentration of toxic metals (Pb, Cd) in feed materials. The quality of incoming feed samples was appraised on the basis of sensorial and visual characteristics and laboratory analyses. The data revealed that broiler starter (BSF) and grower feed (BGF) of seven feed mills appeared to be good based on organoleptic test by assessing sensorial and visual characters (e.g., colour, texture, size, smell, flavor, odour, dust particle, foreign matter, stone, sand etc.) of the observed feed samples. The heavy metal data (Pb, Cd) of broiler starter and grower feed samples from laboratory analyses of five divisions of seven feed mills showed no variation (P>0.05) between treatment. Though the Pb and Cd contents of broiler feed samples of five divisions of seven feed mills together had no difference (P>0.05), but significant variation (P<0.01) was observed in the various feed samples of individual division (Dhaka, Chittagomg). It can be concluded that the quality of broiler feed of different feed mills appears to be good based on the chemical evaluation, even though variation was found in the toxic metal contents of individual division’s feed samples only. The analyzed concentration of toxic metals of feed samples wre within the range or limits of the acceptable level, so here had no possibility of causing public hazard for the consumer world through after consumption of feed by the broiler chicken.