Language selection

Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

Search

Proposed document to be incorporated by reference - Tables of Maximum Contaminant Levels for Feeds

This document was part of a consultation on proposed changes to the Feeds Regulations, which ran from June 12, 2021 to October 15, 2021. This consultation is now closed.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is proposing the Tables of Maximum Contaminant Levels for Feeds to be incorporated by reference (IbR) into the proposed Feeds Regulations, 2022.

This IbR document contains the maximum levels for certain contaminants, such as mycotoxins, dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs, and some heavy metals, allowed in feed for livestock. It includes contaminants that are found in Section 19 of the current Feeds Regulations and in RG-8 Regulatory Guidance: Contaminants in feed (RG-8).

The maximum levels in this IbR document have been revised based on scientific literature and consultation with stakeholders. Since the maximum contaminant levels for feeds are being proposed in an IbR document, these levels can be updated in a more timely manner as new scientific evidence becomes available.

In addition, the CFIA recognizes that for some naturally occurring contaminants, like mycotoxins, there may be variability from year to year in the levels of mycotoxins in the single ingredient feeds, such as grains. In years where there is higher than normal levels of contamination, the CFIA will work with industry to provide flexibility while still protecting animal health.

Table 1: Aflatoxins
Column 1
Contaminant		 Column 2
Species/class of livestock 		Column 3
Single ingredient feeds in an amount not exceeding (ppbTable Note 1) 		Column 4
Total diet, in an amount not exceeding (ppbTable Note 1)
Aflatoxins All 20 20

Table Notes

Table Note 1

ppb = parts per billion, 10−9 (1 milligram / 1,000 kilograms)

Return to table note 1  referrer

Table 2: Deoxynivalenol
Column 1
Contaminant		 Column 2
Species/class of livestock 		Column 3
Total diet in an amount not exceeding (ppmTable Note 2)
Deoxynivalenol Calves (< 4 months) 2
Deoxynivalenol Beef cattle 10
Deoxynivalenol Other ruminants (dairy cattle, sheep and goats that are > 4 months old) 5
Deoxynivalenol Starter swine (< 20 kg) 1
Deoxynivalenol All other classes of swine 2
Deoxynivalenol Poultry 5
Deoxynivalenol Horses and rabbits 5
Deoxynivalenol Salmonids 0.6
Deoxynivalenol Non-salmonids 5

Table Note

Table Note 2

ppm = parts per million, 10−6 (1 milligram / 1 kilogram)

Return to table note 2  referrer

Table 3: Fumonisins
Column 1
Contaminant		 Column 2
Species/class of livestock 		Column 3
Total diet in an amount not exceeding (ppmTable Note 3)
Fumonisins Horses 1
Fumonisins Rabbits 1
Fumonisins Swine 10
Fumonisins Breeding bulls and lactating dairy cattle 15
Fumonisins Other ruminants (other beef cattle, other dairy cattle, sheep and goats, and other ruminants that are > 4 months old and fed for slaughter) 30
Fumonisins Laying hens and roosters for breeding stock 15
Fumonisins Other poultry (turkeys, chickens, ducklings and other poultry fed for slaughter) 50

Table Note

Table Note 3

ppm = parts per million, 10−6 (1 milligram / 1 kilogram)

Return to table note 3  referrer

Table 4: Dioxins, furans, and dioxin-like PCBsTable Note 4
Column 1
Contaminant		 Column 2
Single ingredient feed 		Column 3
Species/class of livestock 		Column 4
Maximum level (ng WHO-TEQ2005/kg)Table Note 5
Dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs Fish meal All 3.0
Dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs Fish oil All 16
Dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs

Mineral-based feed ingredients (including natural sources, mined deposits and chemically synthesized products)

Examples:

Single mineral feed ingredients (for example, copper sulphate, zinc oxide)

Mineral complexes; mineral chelates; Mineral proteinates

Trace mineral premixes

 All 1.5
Dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs Anticaking agents All 1.5
Dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs

Vegetable oils and by-products of vegetable oil manufacturing

For example:

  • Vegetable (palm) oil
  • Hydrogenated vegetable (palm) oil
  • Calcium salts of fatty acids
  • Fractionated palm fatty acid distillates
  • Hydrogenated palm fatty acid distillates
  • Palm palmitic acid (C16:0)
 All 1.5
Dioxins and Furans only

Vegetable oils and by-products of vegetable oil manufacturing

For example:

  • Vegetable (palm) oil
  • Hydrogenated vegetable (palm) oil
  • Calcium salts of fatty acids
  • Fractionated palm fatty acid distillates
  • Hydrogenated palm fatty acid distillates
  • Palm palmitic acid (C16:0)
 All 0.75

Table Note

Table Note 4

Referring to 7 dioxin congeners, 10 furan congeners and 12 dioxin-like PCB congeners.

Return to table note 4  referrer

Table Note 5

Maximum levels are based on total weight; not moisture or fat corrected values.

Return to table note 5  referrer

Table 5: Arsenic
Column 1
Contaminant		 Column 2
Total livestock dietTable Note 6 		Column 3
Maximum level (mg/kg)
Arsenic Total diet for all livestock species 8

Table Note

Table Note 6

Total diet refers to the complete feed for monogastric livestock species and considers complete feed and forage for horses and ruminants.

Return to table note 6  referrer

Table 6: Cadmium
Column 1
Contaminant		 Column 2
Total livestock dietTable Note 7 		Column 3
Maximum level (mg/kg)
Cadmium Total diet for horses 0.2
Cadmium Total diet for fish species 1
Cadmium Total diet for all other livestock species 0.4

Table Note

Table Note 7

Total diet refers to the complete feed for monogastric livestock species and considers complete feed and forage for horses and ruminants.

Return to table note 7  referrer

Table 7: Lead
Column 1
Contaminant		 Column 2
Total livestock dietTable Note 8 		Column 3
Maximum level (mg/kg)
Lead Total diet for all livestock species 8

Table Note

Table Note 8

Total diet refers to the complete feed for monogastric livestock species and considers complete feed and forage for horses and ruminants.

Return to table note 8  referrer

Table 8: Fluorine
Column 1
Contaminant		 Column 2
Feed type 		Column 3
Species/Class of livestock 		Column 4
Maximum level (mg/kg)
Fluorine Mineral feed containing 9% or less of phosphorus Cattle, sheep or horses 2,000
Fluorine Mineral feed containing greater than 9% of phosphorus Cattle, sheep or horses 3,000
Fluorine Mineral feed Swine 6,000
Fluorine Complete feed Horses and rabbits 40
Fluorine Complete feed Cattle and sheep 50
Fluorine Complete feed Swine and turkeys 150
Fluorine Complete feed Chickens 200
Fluorine Complete feed Fish 350
Fluorine Complete feed All other livestock species 150
Date modified: