Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Mussel meal is a potential source of protein, with a good composition of amino acids, for laying hens and broiler chickens, and may replace the use of fish meal in organic poultry production. Lead and cadmium are heavy metals which occur in the environment and can be accumulated in mussels. When poultry are exposed to heavy metals, the metals are absorbed in the small intestine and distributed in the body in the form of ions, complexes or bound to proteins. In poultry, lead accumulates in bone tissue, liver and kidneys, while cadmium accumulates in liver and kidneys. Generally very low concentrations of these heavy metals occur in muscles of broilers which have been exposed to feed contaminated with cadmium or lead. Eggs from laying hens exposed to cadmium contain low levels of cadmium, and chicken meat and eggs are not considered as sources of the metal for humans. Reduced growth in broilers and a lower egg production in laying hens have been observed as a result of lead and cadmium exposure. The aim of this literature study is to describe the metabolism of heavy metals in laying hens and broilers.