scope:

Introduction

The maximum intake doses for lead presented in the following are intended to protect livestock and to make foodstuff produced from these animals safe for human consumption. The maximum intake doses were derived from the results of long-term experiments which were conducted to determine the dose time-effect relationships in livestock. Maximum in-take doses for lead can be presented only for such farm animals raised for use for which such studies were conducted. Those farm animals raised for use are affected by lead most which are kept part of the time or throughout the year outside animal houses. Herbivorous animals (ruminants) are more frequently affected than swine and poultry. The availability of Pb contaminated fodder on the market may lead to an exposure outside air polluted areas. The maximum intake doses (MID) for livestock were set in accordance with VDI 23 10 Part 1 .

Because no Information was available on goats the maximum intake doses for sheep were taken. For horses and vealers no maximum intake doses MID could be derived because not enough data exist.

According to present knowledge, the lead amounts listed in Table 4 do not impair the health and Performance of the animals nor do they lead to a critical contamination of the food produced from these animals not even after long-term intake by the animals so that no detrimental effects on human health after consumption of such food is to be feared.

No combined effects of lead with other heavy metals or other air pollutants could be taken into consideration because of a lack of knowledge.

The Maximum Immission values apply to the mentioned animal species provided that they are fed and kept under the usual conditions. A deficient supply of minerals, trace elements, vitamins or other essential components may enhance the sensitivity of the ani¬ mals to lead. This is also true for the general State of health of the animals.