PERCENT CESIUM-134 AND STRONTIUM-85 IN MILK, URINE, AND FECES OF GOATS ON NORMAL AND VERXITE-CONTAINING DIETS

Four goats of predominantly Toggenburg breeding were used in a cross-over design to study the effects of vermiculite (verxite flakes) on the binding of 85Sr and 134Cs. Vermiculite was incorporated into the grain ration at a level of 10% of the grain ration (approximately 3% of total ration) of one-half of the animals. Each morning either 85Sr or 134Cs was administered separately in gelatin capsules per os at an approximate level of 0.6 μCi per day to the respective animals. Milk samples were collected twice daily while total collections of urine and feces were made on a 24-hour basis. Portions of all samples were counted using a gamma scintillation spectrometer. The vermiculite-treated animals receiving 134Cs had a more rapid rate of radio-isotope excretion than did the nontreated animals, the percentages of the total body clearance of 134Cs which occurred during the five-day dosing period being 83 and 62%, respectively Excretion and seeretion data were compared between animals receiving and not receiving vermiculite. These data, expressed as percentages of the daily ingested doses of 134Cs, were respectively, for milk 0.3 versus 2.3; for urine 1.7 versus 11.2; and for feces 64.6 versus 26.6. There were no consistent differences between the treated and nontreated animals receiving 85Sr. © 1969, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.