Livestock Feed Safety and Hidden Risks in Iran

Livestock feed plays a critical role in animal health and the quality of products such as meat, milk, eggs, and honey. Contaminated feed—including aflatoxins, heavy metals, and microbes—can threaten animal health and enter the human food chain.

In Iran, challenges such as long-term storage, traditional silo practices, limited detection equipment, and incomplete adherence to international standards increase contamination risks. Over 60% of livestock health problems originate from contaminated feed. Experts emphasize strengthening feed hygiene, expanding laboratories, training veterinarians and producers, and establishing independent monitoring systems to improve animal health, food safety, and industry sustainability.