Studies on the effect of chlorinated hydrocarbons content in the compound animal feeding stuffs on the residues in turkey carcasses and efficiency of slaughter turkeys rearing

An increasing demand for turkey meat requires intensification of rearing, while almost permanent presence of stable chlorinated hydrocarbons in the environment, feeds, living organisms, including humans, to force undertaking studies on the wholesome safety of food of animal origin. The objective of the present study was therefore to evaluate selected cereals of different origin in terms of the content of chlorinated hydrocarbons (DDT, DDE, DDD, and HCH) as well as to determine the content of these compounds in turkey carcasses and their effect as feed material on the rearing efficiency. The investigations were carried out in 2002 on 100 one-day-old Big-6 turkey hens randomly allocated to 4 groups. For the period of 16 weeks, the animals were fed ad libitum with diets based on wheat and barley originating from different regions and characterized by different agricultural and industrial properties. Chlorinated hydrocarbons were determined in: animal feeding stuffs compound (wheat, barley, meat meal, extracted soybean meal), turkey blood, breast muscles, skin with external fat, and in abdominal fat by means of gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (ECD). The results obtained confirmed high contents of the examined compounds in feed material and in fat obtained from carcasses of the birds investigated.