Relation Between Amount of Cesium137 in Cows’ Feed and Milk

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Abstract
The concentration of cesium-137 was measured in the feed and milk of experimental herds. Three groups of Jersey and Holstein cows given stored feed were used. One herd continued eating stored feed, the second was placed on pasture and remained there, and the third was placed on pasture for 19 days and then returned to eating stored feed. Cesium-137 was determined in daily samples of pasture grass, hay, grain, silage, drinking water, air particulates, and milk by radiochemical and gamma spectral analyses. Food consumption and milk production were measured, and water and air intakes estimated. The intake of cesium-137 by the pastured cows was approximately 10 times as great as that of cows consuming stored feeds. Cesium-137 levels in milk were directly proportional to intake, in that 13% of cesium-137 was transferred to the milk. When the herd was returned from pasture to stored feed, cesium-137 amounts in milk decreased rapidly; 59 and 36% of the total, respectively, had 0.8-day and 4-day half times.