title: Studies of the transfer of dietary radiocaesium from silage to milk in dairy cows.
abstract: Four experiments were carried out to examine the transfer of radiocaesium from silage to milk by dairy cows. Three experiments assessed the effects of stage of lactation, yield and the feeding of forage only on this transfer. It was found that maximum milk radiocaesium concentrations were achieved rapidly (within 5 days) after the start of feeding contaminated silage. The transfer coefficients (Fm) were low ranging from 0.002 to 0.003 d l-1. The fourth experiment examined the effects of alternately feeding silages, of relatively high and low radiocaesium contents, on a 2 d cycle on the milk radiocaesium content. It was observed that the milk radiocaesium content changed rapidly in response to the amount of radiocaesium ingested.
authors.affiliation: Food and Agricultural Chemistry Research Division, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: McMurray
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Unsworth
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kilpatrick
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis*; D009660:Northern Ireland; D009688:Nuclear Reactors; D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D012820:Silage; D013997:Time Factors; D014455:Ukraine
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011847:Radioactive Fallout