Preliminary assessment of trace elements and toxic heavy metals in poultry feeds and the eco-health implications in Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines

There has been a rapid shift in the feeding practices of backyard poultry, with increasing reliance on commercial feeds. Poultry feeds are often supplemented with trace elements to meet nutritional requirements, but can become contaminated with heavy metals during production and handling processes. This study analyzed trace elements, iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and heavy metals, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd), in feed samples from 10 commercial brands using microwave plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. Results showed that Fe and Cu levels exceeded the recommended limits in most feeds, as per the Philippine Society for Animal Nutritionists (PhilSAN) and the National Research Council (NRC), with Fe being highest in layer feeds (965.83mg kg-1) and Cu in booster feeds (164.26mg kg-1). Zn levels varied, exceeding limits in most booster, grower, layer, and finisher feeds. Detectable Cd was found in booster, starter, grower, and finisher feeds, while Pb was only present in some brands of booster feeds. These findings underscore the importance of stringent regulatory guidelines for regulating trace element incorporation and ensuring feed quality.