Accumulation of some heavy metals in hair, plasma and milk of cattle and buffaloes grazing berseem or reed plants in egypt

Abstract EN

Twenty four dairy cows and buffaloes were divided in two locations with 6 dairy cows and 6 dairy buffaloes in each.

The animals in the first location were fed on berseem irrigated by Nile water, while in the second location (Burullus Lake) they were kept on reed plants.

The obtained results showed that the contents of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, copper, nikel, aluminum, arsenic and mercury) in reed plants were significantly higher (P<0.05) than in berseem.

The concentrations of heavy metals in hair, plasma and milk of cattle and buffaloes grazing on reed plants were significantly higher (P<0.01) than that in those fed berseem.

Moreover, the concentrations of heavy metals in hair were significantly higher (P<0.05) in cattle than buffaloes, while the concentrations of heavy metals in plasma and milk were significantly higher (P<0.05) in buffaloes than cattle.

It could be concluded that grazing cattle and buffaloes on reed plants in Burullus Lake led to higher accumulation of heavy metals in their hair, plasma and milk, causing possible hazardous effect on human health.