Pesticide residues in animal

feeds &fodders and their

impact on Animal Health &
Production

Srikala.D
TVM/2015-030
Department of Animal nutrition
College of Veterinary Science, Tirupati
Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University
Introduction
Wide spread use of pesticides in Ag. their persistence
in the envt. and toxicity - major public health
concern.

In India 51% of food commodities contaminated with

PRs and out of these 20 % had above MRLs.
Food of animal origin is the most contaminated
(Gupta.,2004).

Most commonly encountered PRs in food are OCs .

Feeds contaminated with PRs is the most imp. reason
for high residues of pesticides in animal origin foods
(Darko & Acquaah 2007).
 Pesticides use in India
India share hardly 3-5% world pesticide

Country Consumption
(kg / ha ) 12
12
India 0.5
10

Korea 6.6 8 6.6 7

6
USA 7
4 3
Germany 3 2 0.5

Japan 12
0
India Korea USA Germany Japan

Europe 2.5 Consumption (kg / ha )

Mexico 0.75

Total pesticides used in 2010-11 are about 55,540 MT(Dept. of agri.GOI)

 Major classes of Pesticides

1. Organochlorines
2. Organophosphates
3. Carbamates
4. Pyrethroids
5. Neonicotenoids
6. Phenyl-pyrazoles
 What is Pesticide?
Any substance intended for preventing, destroying,
attracting, repelling, or controlling any pest
including unwanted species of plants or animals
during the production, storage, transport,
distribution and processing of food, agricultural
commodities, or animal feeds or which may be
administered to animals for the control of
ectoparasites.
(FAO)
 Pesticide residue
Any specified substances in food, agricultural
commodity, or animal feed resulting from the use of a
pesticide.

Includes any derivative of a pesticide, such as

conversion products, metabolic products, reaction
products, and impurities considered to be of
toxicological significance.

Sometimes, presence of a pesticide in food where its

intentional use had not been made is differentiated
from 'pesticide residue' as contaminant.
 'Organochlorines' (OCs) is a generic term for
pesticides containing chlorine;
However, the term is commonly used to refer to the
older persistent materials, including aldrin, BHC,
chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, heptachlor, lindane etc.

Dichlorodiphenyl ethanes
DDT, Rotane, dicofol
methyloxychlor

cyclodienes
Aldrin , dieldrin ,chlordane
Hepachlor , endosulphan

Cyclohexanes(chlorinated benzene)
HCB, HCH
Lindane
 List of Organochlorine Pesticides and Polychlorinated
Biphenyl (Pcb) Compounds *

BHC Heptachlor
Aldrin Endosulfan I
Dieldrin 4,4'-DDE
Endrin 4,4'-DDD
4,4'-DDT Methoxychlor
Chlordane Toxaphene
Aroclor 1 PCP
QUINTOZONE 2,4,5 -T
 Residues of pesticides in poultry feed
AICRP1999

Name of fragment Residues (mg/Kg)

DDT Aldrin+Dieldrin
Maize grain 0.156 0.052
Cake 0.142 0.005
Broken rice BDL BDL
Bran 0.088 0.040
Fish 0.290 0.157
Sorghum grain 0.218 0.021
Wheat 0.010 0.001
Feed mixtureI 0.238 0.140
Feed mixtureII 0.281 0.281
 OCPR (PPM) POULTRY FEED PUNJAB
SAMPLE POULTRY FEED EGGS
HCH 0.1 0.02

HCH 0.3 0.71

HCH 0.43 0.09

HCH 0.83 0.28

2,4 - DDE 0.13 0.09

4,4 - DDE 0.06 0.08
2,4- DDD 0.28 0.1
4,4- DDD 0.012 0.02
2,4- DDT 0.05 BDL
4,4- DDT 0.21 0.05
- DDD 0.76 0.34
ENDOSULPHAN SULPHATE 0.22 0.08
Reasons for more pesticide residues in India

1. Indiscrimate use of pesticides

2. Lack of education
3. Inadequate literature supplied by the
manufacturers
4. Lack of safer pesticides
5. Use of banned pesticides
6. Lack of extension activities
Organo chlorine Pesticide residues in animal
feeds &fodders
Causes and concerns of pesticide residues
Organochlorine is a chemical class of pesticides, members of
which are highly persistent in nature and get recycled into
biosystem through soil, water and manure (Wadhwa et al.,
2004).

They are highly lipophilic in nature and are therefore rapidly

absorbed, stored in fat tissues and are not readily excreted by
animals except in milk.

This makes them highly persistent and bio-accumulative

enabling their biomagnification within the food chain (Yakushiji,
1988).

Though use of organochlorine pesticides (OCP) has been

restricted across the globe, their bioaccumulation is still
substantial in the food chain (Wadhwa et al., 2004), because of
their persistency and indiscriminate use.
 Pesticide residues can be detected frequently not only
at the site of their application but also in the far
remote ecosystems due to their easy mobility in air
and water.
OCs are very stable
Not easily degraded by physical (heat, solar radiation)
or biological factors like Bacteria.
Accumulate in edible parts of plants due to very slow
metabolism,
Due to high fat solubility accumulate in adipose,
nervous, hepatic, renal and other tissues of animals
and birds .
 50% feeds and fodder samples in
Bundelkhand region of UP were found
contaminated with different OCs,

Concentration of total HCH comprising of all

four isomers (, , and ) varied from
0.0032-0.0399 mg/kg,

Endosulfan residues were detected from

traces to 1.0 mg/ kg. Total DDT was recorded
in the range of 0.0074-0.42 mg/kg .
 Bio-magnification of pesticides residues

Pesticides in the environment follow a series of

processes of transfer and transformations before
leading to their magnification up the food chain,

Fat soluble insecticides, like the organochlorine after

reaching a waterbody tend to adhere to suspended
organics, which are consumed by small invertebrates
that dwell upon them

Fish feeding upon these small aquatic invertebrates

accumulates the pesticides in their tissues, besides
directly absorbing them from polluted water around.
 The OC insecticides, with their high lipid solubility,
easily accumulate in fat tissues of fish. This
accumulation of pesticides in fish may be 10-10000
times greater than their original concentrations in
water,
DDT applied on marshes to control mosquito reaches
the mosquito larvae eating fish, which accumulate it in
their tissues in high concentrations. These then form an
important link in the food chain of man. In case of fish
eating women, it can be an important source of DDT
residues in mothers' milk,
The intensity of bio-magnification of pesticides is
directly related to their persistence behavior and lipid
solubility.
OC insecticides are positive in both these variables, so
they are most frequently subjected to ecological
magnification. Bio-magnification of pesticides is a
concerning, invisible source of pollution of our environment.
Regulation of Pesticides in India
The use of pesticide in India is regulated by two laws:
Prevention of food adulteration act, 1954
Insecticide act, 1968

Regulation of Pesticides in International Level

Internationally, pesticide level in foods is regulated by Codex
Alimentarious Commission (FAO/WHO).
Determination of pesticide specificity and acceptable level
conforms to standards set up by Codex.
 MRL of OCP for milk and milk products (mg/kg)
recommended by FAO/WHO-1996 (IDE 9701, 1997)

Pesticide MRL MRL*

Aldrin 0.006 0.15
Dieldrin 0.006 0.15
Chlordane 0.002 0.05
DDT 0.05 1.25
Endosulphan 0.004 0.1
Endrin 0.0008 0.02
Heptachlor 0.006 0.15
Methoxychlor 0.02 0.5
Hexachlorobenzene 0.02 0.5
-BHC (lindane) 0.01 0.2
-BHC** 0.05 1.25
-BHC 0.02 0.5
-BHC 0.02 0.5
 LIST OF PESTICIDES BANNED IN INDIA CENTRAL INSECTICIDE BOARD 2012
PESTICIDE PRESENT STATUS
Aldrin Banned for mft, import and use

Benzene Hexachloride Banned for mft, import and use(w.e.f

.1/4/1997)
Chlordane Banned for mft, import and use

Endrin Banned for mft, import and use

Heptachlor Banned for mft, import and use

Pentachlorophenol Banned for mft, import and use

Aldicarb Banned for mft, import and use

Chlorobenzilate Banned for mft, import and use
Dieldrine Banned for mft, import and use

Paradichlorobenzene (PDCB) Banned for mft, import and use

DDT Pesticides restricted for use
Endosulfan Pesticides restricted for use
Lindane Banned for Mft., Import or Formulate
w.e.f.25/3/11 and banned for use w.e.f.
25/3/2013
 Why are OCs such a problem?
The Cl atoms prevent the organic compounds from
being rapidly degraded in the environment, thus these
pesticides persistent and are active for long periods
of time after application when consumed, are stored
in animals' fat deposits.

This poses a risk of OC contamination in both meat

and milk products of grazing animals, such as cattle.

After exposure for some time, the concentration of the

chemical in the fat of cattle becomes higher than in
the feed, usually by a factor of 10-15.
How long do OC contaminants persist?
Contaminant Half life in soil Half life in fat

Aldrin and dieldrin 2-8 years 6-12 weeks

BHC 2-3 years 4-7 weeks

Chlordane 5-12 years 4-8 weeks

DDT 3-15 years 6-12 weeks

Endrin 2-5 years No contaminants in fat

HCB 7-15 years 10-13 weeks

Heptachlor 5-12 years 6-12 weeks

Lindane 1-3 years 7-10 days

Strategies to combat with pesticide residues
related problems

1. The farmers should be advised about the

harmful effects of pesticides
2. Development of Bio-pesticides like Neem or Tulsi
or of cow urine based pesticides.
3. The harmful pesticides production, import or use
should be completely banned.
4. To reduce the effect of pesticide residues, some
herbal preparations should be developed .
 Avoid the use of chemical pesticides in house.
Try to have such vegetables/fruits/cereals/
pulses which are grown under organic farming
Organic farming to raise meat animals
Always trim the fat from meat
Avoids meat from areas that are known to be
contaminated with pesticides
Integrated pest management (IPM) instead of sole
reliance on chemical control of pesticides
 The Cleanup Methods
Thermal:
Dehydration in a rapid high-temperature dryer is a
common means of processing forage, especially alfalfa.
Saturating hay with water and then dehydrating it was
highly effective .
Practically, under field conditions farmers can be
advised to make hay if fodder is marginally
contaminated with pesticide residues .
Artificial dehydration processes, if preceded by steam
vapour treatment or organic solvent washing will help
in cleaning hays , other forages and "byproduct"
feedstuffs
Drying a wet material will remove some of the OCPRs
and extreme drying and solvent washing can remove as
much as 90-95% of residue.
Removal From Animals and Animal Feeds
Recent studies at the University of California have
shown that low DDT residues in alfalfa hay could be
almost completely removed by "washing" with hot
vapours of several different organic solvents;
efficiencies ranged from 73 to 97%.

Interestingly water vapour was itself very effective and

removed over 85% of the total residue. Similar results
were obtained with residual endrin.
Chemical/physical
Certain chemicals such as mineral oil, animal or
vegetable fats, calcium salts, pectin, lignin, charcoal
and bentonite have been tried as adsorbent to reduce
the uptake of OCP by the animal (Cook and Wilson,
1971).
Prasad and Chhabra (2002) reported substantial
decrease in the transfer of organochlorines from feed
to milk in animals fed with charcoal supplemented
feeds.
Seeds treated with compounds such as Difolatan may
be salvaged for animal feeding by treatment with an
aqueous solution of an ionizable sulfide, inorganic
sulfite or thiosulfite.
Biological:
Biological conversion of pesticides via
reduction, oxidation and/or isomerisation is
the common mechanisms of their degradation
in natural habitats (Lal and Saxena, 1982).

Their detoxification in feed has been

attempted through microbes, immobilized
enzymes etc. (Wadhwa, 2000).
 Harmful effects of pesticide residues

Excessive use pesticides have resulted in the disorders

of endocrine glands e.g., thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary,
kidneys and adrenals,

Pesticide can cause health problems, such as birth

defects, nerve damage, cancer, and other effects that
might occur over a long period of time,

Incidence of cancer, asthma and diseases of kidney,

skin and digestive tract has increased by 20-25%.

WHO estimates one million pesticides poisoning cases

and 20,000 deaths every year globally
1. Immunopathological effects:
a) Acquired Immunodeficiency:
immunosuppressive effect on both humoral and CMI.
Ocs were found immunotoxic at no adverse effect dose levels
in poultry, sheep, and in bovine calves.
Cause of vaccinal failures or occurrence of disease epidemics
development of neoplasm's defective immune surveillance

b) Autoimmunity:
OCPs binds with certain proteins of the body to become antigen
leading to initiation of an autoimmune response in body.
Autoimmune glomerulonephritis or autoimmune hemolytic
anemia or autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis are such
mainfestations in animals and man.
Lindane when fed with no adverse effect dose level in lambs for
a period of 4 months resulted in autoimmune
glomerulonephritis
c) Hypersensitivity:
Pesticides may act as haptens but antibodies
against them have been detected in body.
2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. DDT has also been known
to cause type I hypersensitivity reaction.
2. Carcinogenic effects:
directly or indirectly through their metabolites.
Most of OCs may cause cancer in liver and lung.
immunosuppression for a longer period
malignancy.
cause mutation in chromosomes of animals,
may lead to carcinogenicity.
3. Mutagenicity:
cause alterations in structure or number of
chromosomes resulting in translocations,
mutations and chromosomal breakage.
The altered chromosomal number may become
lethal during fetal stage.
Several pesticides like DDT, Endrin, PCB and HCB
are known to cause chromosomal aberrations.
4. Teratogenicity:.
2,4-D, lindane are having teratogenic defects in
animals.

5. Neuropathy:
Responsible for marked behavioural changes in
man and animals.
increased irritation, loss of memory, in
coordination of movement, ataxia, delayed
response, convulsions, spasms and paralysis.
Such changes appear due to demyelination of
nerves in CNS &PNS
6. Nephropathy:
This antigenicity of OCPR is responsible for
formation of immune complexes.
are deposited in glomerular basement membrane
leading to glomerulonephritis (renal failure) .

7. Hepatotoxicity:
chronic liver disorders leading to cirrhosis.
OCP metabolites cause severe damage to hepatic
parenchyma.
The cirrhosis once starts, it never stops even after
withdrawal of the primary cause.
8. Reproductive Disorders:
lethal to dividing cells of genitalia.
Abnormalities in sperms leading to decrease their
ability for fertilization.
Ova becomes defective and not able to implant on the
uterine surface leading to early abortion or
miscarriage.
DDT has been found to cause weak egg shell in birds
leading to their decreased population.
The pesticide residues in food, thus may ultimately
lead to sterility, early abortion, still births or repeat
breeding.
9. Recurrent infections:
Animals having reduced immunocompetence due
to pesticides are more liable to attract infections
very frequently
Such animals exhibit recurrent bacterial
infections due to defective phagocytic machinery of
the body.