Legumes mixed with cereals grown to produce green fodder are a valuable source of feed for cattle providing they are not contaminated with heavy metals. The content of heavy metals in soil is related to the soil’s chemical composition, which is affected by amounts of pollutants emitted to the atmosphere by industries and transport. This also concerns vast areas of agricultural land cropped with fodder plants consumed mainly by dairy cattle. The objective of the research was to determine the effect of a component share in a mixture and harvest date on the heavy metal content in green fodder of narrow-leaved lupine, spring triticale and their mixtures intended to be used for cattle feeding. Two factors were examined: factor I − component share in a mixture: narrow-leaved lupine – pure stand 100%, spring triticale – pure stand 100%, narrow-leaved lupine 75% + spring triticale 25%, narrow-leaved lupine 50% + spring triticale 50%, narrow-leaved lupine 25% + spring triticale 75%; factor II − harvest date: the stage of narrow-leaved lupine flowering, the stage of narrow-leaved lupine flat green pod. Plant material samples were taken to determine Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr and Ni contents. Of the tested mixtures, narrow-leaved lupine mixed with spring triticale at the 75 + 25% and 50 + 50% component shares had the lowest heavy metal content. Cadmium and lead content in the green fodder composed of narrow-leaved lupine/spring triticale mixtures was significantly affected by the experimental factors, and remained below the detectability level of an emission spectrophotometer Perkin Elmer Optima 8300. Even if the feed produced from the tested narrow-leaved lupine/spring triticale mixtures was safe for cattle, regular monitoring of the heavy metal content of such feed is recommended.  

25.2.2020