Food body’s warning over lead poisoning in livestock

Scotland’s food safety body is reminding farmers and crofters to remain vigilant for signs of lead poisoning in livestock after an increase in incidents in the past three months.

Food Standards Scotland has received four incident reports of lead exposure and poisoning in livestock since April – this is one more than the whole period between April 2019 and March 2020.

Ron McNaughton, who heads the body’s Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit, said lead poisoning was not only a welfare issue for livestock but it also put consumers at risk.

“This highly toxic metal not only affects animals in many ways, for example causing nervous disease, blindness, infertility and even death, but contamination beyond legal limits in meat, offal and milk puts consumers at risk and is illegal to sell,” said Mr McNaughton.

He advised farmers to check fields and barns regularly for sources of lead, such as old batteries, flaking lead paint, shot, and rubbish dumped in fly-tipping incidents.