Українська версія | English version
THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL SUBJECT SCIENTIFIC DIGEST PIG BREEDING

and agroindustrial production

CONCENTRATION OF TOXIC HEAVY METALS IN THE INTERNAL ORGANS AND TISSUES OF THE UKRAINIAN BLACK-AND-WHITE AND RED-AND-WHITE MILK BREED COWS WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEEDING


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UDC: 636.27.034.084.41:[546.48+546.815](477)

DOI: 10.37143/2786-7730-2025-5-6(83-84)6

REFERENCIS АРА style: Mamenko, O. M., Portiannyk, S. V., Onyshchenko, A. O. (2025). [Concentration of toxic heavy metals in the internal organs and tissues of the ukrainian black-and-white andred-and-white milk breed cows with different types of feeding]. Svynarstvo i Ahropromyslove Vyrobnytstvo [Pig Breeding and Agroindustrial Production]. Poltava, 5–6(83–84), 79-93. [in Ukrainіаn]. 10.37143/2786-7730-2025-5-6(83-84)6

O. M. Mamenko, Dr. Sci. (Agricult.), Professor, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences, Chief Researcher, Laboratory of Feeding, Physiology of Farm Animal Nutrition, and Feed Production
ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3638-2525
E-mail:z-t_e-y2015@meta.ua
Livestock Farming Institute  NAAS, 1-A , Tvarinnykiv str., Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61026
S. V. Portianyk, PhD (Agricult.), Senior Researcher, Laboratory of Environmental Safety in Animal Husbandry
ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5716-7352
E-mail:portynnyk@i.ua
Institute of Pig Breeding and Agroindustrial Production NAAS, 1, Swedish Mogyla str., Poltava, Ukraine, 36009 ROR: https://ror.org/00r693281
A. O. Onyshchenko, PhD (Agricult.), Senior Researcher, Acting Deputy Director for Research
ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0684-1201
E-mail:geroi76@ukr.net
Institute of Pig Breeding and Agroindustrial Production NAAS, 1, Swedish Mogyla str., Poltava, Ukraine, 36009 ROR: https://ror.org/00r693281

Manuscript was received/ 21.07.2025

Received after review/ 04.08.2025

Accepted for printing 19.08.2025

Available online/ 30.12.2025

Abstract

Objective of this study was to analyze the accumulation of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in the kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, spleen, bone and muscle tissues of dairy cows depending on the breed and type of feeding according to the technology of environmentally safe milk production. Methods. The research was conducted on farms in the forest-steppe soil and climate zone of Ukraine on cows of the Ukrainian Black-and-White and Red-and-White dairy breeds. The agricultural land where the animals were kept was located near environmentally hazardous facilities. Cows in their third lactation were selected by analogy based on live weight and productivity. The duration of the experimental period was 120 days. The cows were fed silage- root crop, silage-hay, silage-haylage, and silage-haylage-concentrate diets. At the end of the experimental period, three animals from each group were slaughtered and average samples of internal organs and tissues were taken. Chemical analysis of the samples for heavy metal content was performed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results. It was determined that the kidneys and liver are the target organs for Cd and Pb accumulation in cows of both breeds. The highest concentration of Cd was found in the kidneys of Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy cows fed a silage-root crop diet (3.241±0.318 mg/kg) and a silage-hay diet (2.968±0.193 mg/kg). A similar situation was observed for Pb, the content of which was 4.387±0.092 mg/kg for silage-hay feeding and 4.522±0.546 mg/kg for silage-root crop feeding. In muscle tissue, the content of both pollutants was also highest in animals of the Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breed on a silage-hay diet (Cd – 0.125±0.026 mg/kg; Pb – 1.472±0.065 mg/kg) and silage-root crops (Cd – 0.140±0.006 mg/kg; Pb – 1.691±0.092 mg/kg) diets. Conclusions. Higher concentrations of Cd and Pb in the kidneys, liver, lungs, spleen, heart, bones, and muscle tissue were found in cows of the Ukrainian Black- and-White dairy breed compared to animals of the Ukrainian Red-and-White dairy breed, which is due to a greater intake of pollutants with the main diets, the type of feeding, and, to a lesser extent, breed characteristics.

Keywords: boars, breed, season, sperm production, ejaculate quality, biochemical indexes, seminal plasma.

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