Effect of Increasing Lead Concentrations in Diets on the Lead Residue of the Liver and Feather in Broiler Chickens

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of increasing lead concentrations in diets on the lead residue of the liver and feather in broiler chickens. A total of 800 2-d-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were used and allotted to 1 of 5 dietary treatments with 16 replicates consisting of 10 birds in a completely randomized design. Dietary lead concentrations were set to 0, 50, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg by adding lead acetate (≥ 54.6%) at the expense of the celite. The experimental diets were fed to birds for 5 weeks. At the conclusion of the experiment, 1 bird from each replicate was euthanized. Liver and feather samples were collected for the lead residue analysis. Results indicated that increasing lead concentrations in diets increased the lead residue of the liver (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05) and feather (linear, P < 0.01) in broiler chickens. Broiler chickens fed diets containing 400 mg/kg lead had greater (P < 0.05) lead residue in the liver than those fed the control diets. However, broiler chickens fed diets containing 200 mg/kg lead had greater (P < 0.05) lead residue in the feather than those fed the control diets. In conclusion, increasing lead concentrations in diets up to the level of 400 mg/kg increased the lead residue in the liver and feather tissues; however, only feather shows a dose-dependent linear response. A greater than 400 mg/kg lead in diets significantly increases the lead residue of the liver and feather in broiler chickens.