Quality and content of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in complete fodder mixture in region of Kraljevo

We followed the quality and content of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in maize fodder and complete fodder mixture (CFM) for fattened bullocks in the region of Kraljevo. Quality analyses included 10 samples of CFM for bullocks under 250 kg, and 11 samples of CFM for bullocks over 250 kg, while 28 samples were analysed for content of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb. Samples were prepared from ash for microelement content analysis and microelements were determined by the atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) method. The quality of CFM was determined by standard methods. We also determined dry matter content, so we expressed the content of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in dry matter and air-dried hay. The average content of water in CFM for bullocks under 250 kg was 10.67% ashes 4.58%, crude fibre 5.10%, proteins 14.55 %, Ca 0.83% and P 0.50 %. The average content of water in CFM for bullocks over 250 kg was 10.78%, ashes 4.44 %, crude fibre 5.26 %, proteins 13.40 %, Ca 0.85 % and P 0.51 %. The average content of Cu in maize fodder on farm A was 7.86 mg/kg, Zn 24.01 mg/kg, while Cd and Pb were not detected. Content of Cu in CFM on farm B was 7.53 mg/kg, farm C 21.30 mg/kg and farm D 75.51 mg/kg, and of Zn 40.34 mg/kg, 88.87 mg/kg and 115.61 mg/kg, respectively. The content of Cd and Pb in CFM was under maximum permitted concentrations on all farms.