Cadmium in liver and kidneys of domestic Balkan and Alpine dairy goat breeds from Montenegro and Serbia

ABSTRACT

Concentrations of cadmium (Cd) were determined in the samples of 144 animals around 1 and of 144 animals around 4 years old. Cd was analysed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), after microwave digestion. Cd concentrations were higher (p < 0.05) in kidney than in liver and higher (p < 0.05) in older animals than in young ones. In domestic Balkan goat which was raised in a free-ranged system Cd accumulation was lower (p < 0.05) than in Alpine goat raised in an intensive production system. Geographic region did influence Cd accumulation only in older animals. Higher Cd levels (p < 0.05) were determined in goats from Serbia. The highest obtained Cd concentrations in both tissues were lower than maximum levels set by European and national legislation for ruminants (cattle and sheep).

KEYWORDS:

• Cadmium
• liver
• kidney
• domestic Balkan goat
• Alpine goat

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank A BIO TECH LAB D.O.O., Vojvode Putnika 87, 21208 Sremska Kamenica, Serbia for support and excellent assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.