Radiation effects on livestock: physiological effects, dose response

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · Vet. Hum. Toxicol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5123494

Bell, M C

Farm livestock show no measurable effects from being exposed to ionizing radiation unless the level is greatly in excess of the natural background radiation. Possible sources of ionizing radiation which might affect livestock or contribute to radioactivity in the food chain to humans are reactor accidents, fuel reprocessing plant accidents and thermonuclear explosions. Most data on ionizing radiation effects on livestock are from whole body gamma doses near the LD 50/60 level. However, grazing livestock would be subjected to added beta exposure from ingested and skin retained radioactive particles. Results of attempts to simulate exposure of the Hereford cattle at Alamogardo, NM show that cattle are more sensitive to ingested fallout radiation than other species. Poultry LD 50/60 for gamma exposure is about twice the level for mammals, and swine appear to have the most efficient repair system being able to withstand the most chronic gamma exposure. Productivity of most livestock surviving an LD 50/60 exposure is temporarily reduced and longterm effects are small. Livestock are good screeners against undesirables in our diet and with the exception of radiosotopes of iodine in milk, very little fission product radioactivity would be expected to be transferred through the food chain in livestock products for humans. Feeding of stored feed or moving livestock to uncontaminated pastures would be the best protective action to follow. 29 references.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville
• OSTI ID: 5123494
• Journal Information: Vet. Hum. Toxicol.; (United States), Vol. 3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
CATTLE
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
FOOD CHAINS
CONTAMINATION
FOWL
HORSES
SHEEP
SWINE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
FALLOUT
GAMMA RADIATION
INGESTION
IODINE ISOTOPES
MILK
RADIATION INJURIES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIRDS
BODY FLUIDS
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FOOD
INJURIES
INTAKE
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RUMINANTS
VERTEBRATES
560152* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Animals
553000 - Agriculture & Food Technology