QUALITY EVALUATION OF COMMERCIAL BROILER FEEDS AT TANNERY INDUSTRIAL AREA IN BANGLADESH: A FOOD SAFETY PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Quality of feed is essential at all stages in the production of broiler so that birds can get wholesome nutrition. The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of commercial broiler feeds (starter & grower) collected from tannery industrial area to ensure the food safety. Under the study, registered and unregistered (local) company’s feeds were collected from the farmers who were related to rearing broiler at Saver, Dhaka. Samples were collected to observe the physical properties, the proximate component (moisture & crude protein) and the concentration of heavy metals (Cr, Pb) of broiler feeds. To know the physical properties, feeds were visually observed. The feeds were normal in color, smell and free from any foreign matters & molds, indicated the fresh quality of feeds. The moisture was obtained in normal range and calculated as (11.31-14.03) % and (9.65-11.48) % for broiler starter and grower respectively. The crude protein contents ranged from (8.45-25.36) % and (10.23-19.34) % for broiler starter and grower feeds respectively. Almost all of the local feed samples were composed of low amount of crude protein than the registered company’s feeds. The concentration of heavy metals of most of the feed samples were below detection level that indicated the good quality of feeds. No alarming material was found in feeds and for both broiler starter and grower feeds, which indicates that the meat from broiler fed the evaluated feeds are safe for human consumption.