TiHo Bibliothek elib - Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover

Summary
feedstuffs were analyzed, too. The primiparous beef cow´s colostrum and milk as
well as – after slaughter – muscle (individual samples) and liver (pooled samples)
were collected. The carcasses only entered the food chain if the results did not
exceed the maximum permitted level. Because the livers were discarded anyway,
owing to the high-risk status of the farm (“Risikobetrieb”), individual samples were not
necessary (pooled samples due to financial reasons). Additionally to the 51 heifers
participating in this concept, muscle and liver samples of further animals were
collected and analyzed: one heifer (contaminated feed until slaughter), 6 cows (5.5
months uncontaminated feed before slaughter), one weaning calf (3.5 months
uncontaminated feed before slaughter) and two stillborn calves.
Essential results
The soil samples contained 44.0 - 153 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/kg DM (proof of the
particular exposition of the pasture). The “contaminated” grass silages had dioxin
contents of 1.71 - 4.82 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/kg feed (88 % DM) so that all
exceeded the maximum level (0.75 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/kg feed [88 % DM]). Two
grass samples showed high dioxin contents (0.74 resp. 3.64 ng WHO-PCDD/F-
TEQ/kg feed [88 % DM]), too. In all remaining grass samples, the dioxin
contamination varied between 0.11 and 0.46 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/kg feed
(88 % DM). The “uncontaminated” feed contained 0.09 – 0.41 ng WHO-PCDD/F-
TEQ/kg feed (88 % DM).
The muscle sample of the primiparous beef cow F 0 (contaminated feed until
slaughter) had a dioxin content of 3.65 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/g fat (> maximum
level: 2.50 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/g fat). Furthermore, the sum of PCDD/F and dl-
PCB exceeded the maximum level, too. The heifers belonging to the group F I were
fed with uncontaminated feed 3 / 3.5 / 4 / 5 / 5.5 resp. 10 months before the
slaughter. The dioxin content in their muscle samples varied between 0.61 and 1.73
pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/g fat (all < maximum level). The heifers belonging to the
group F II were fed with uncontaminated feed for 5 / 7 resp. 9.5 months before the
slaughter. The muscle samples contained 1.04 - 2.26 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/g fat
(all < maximum level). One single sample exceeded the maximum permitted level
for the sum of PCDD/F + dl-PCB (high dl-PCB content). The heifers belonging to
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