Radiation Effects On Farm Animals

[Music] from the very moment of our conception we are exposed to natural radiation radioactive materials dwell within us all around us in such building supplies as mortar and bricks radioactive materials are a part of the very air we breathe [Music] within the soil in its crops and in our livestock but these amounts are insignificant and the bodies of man and animals can tolerate exposure to them [Music] but when radiation is received in large amounts those we might expect that for a massive nuclear attack then it's another story then radiation is dangerous dangerous not only to man but also to his source of essential food protein the farm animal just how does radiation affect man's vital sources of food at universities and national laboratories throughout the country this question has initiated a variety of radiation studies and experiments before we take a close look at some of them let's first see how an overdose of radiation affects the basic building block of life the living cell when exposed to radiation a cell may become damaged this damage can occur in the heart of the cell the nucleus one of three things can happen a cell may regenerate completely and resume its normal function if on the other hand a cell cannot regenerate its effort to repair results in abnormal growth finally an overdose of radiation can kill a cell out right after a large number of tissue cells have been so injured or killed by high doses of radiation signs of damage appear while some of these effects are delayed many appear within just a few weeks a few days or even a few hours this film deals with the immediate effects of high radiation exposure [Music] when farm animals receive external doses of gamma radiation a few generalizations may be made about the immediate effects some animals can tolerate larger doses and recover more rapidly than others after a total body exposure to 250 Rincon's received over a period of several days few if any died after an exposure to say 550 renkins about half may die after a brief exposure to 1000 rankin's few if any survived response of animals to radiation depends equally upon the rate of exposure for instance most animals exposed to doses of 300 to 500 renkins spread consistently over a period of weeks generally show no acute symptoms or suffer much damage the animal that has received the same dosage within a few hours or even a few days would on the other hand experience severe damage now suppose we look at some of the current experiments being conducted on farm animals these test cattle are being exposed to doses of external gamma radiation which range between 300 rankin's and 1000 rankin's doses are spread over a period of four days clinical signs most common to radiation sickness indicate damage to four systems of the body circulatory digestive respiratory and nervous in the circulatory system there is first a reduction in white cells such changes in blood cell values are consistent among all farm animals let's consider the white cell count in the first three days after irradiation it drops about 70% it levels off sometime between 15 and 25 days if the animal survives the count gradually returns to normal a secondary circulatory disturbin is edema of the lower body extremities in the digestive system diarrhea is a major signal it begins in cattle and sheep during the second week despite this condition the animals do not show much loss of weight and their appetite doesn't suffer until two or three days before they die by which time diarrhea has often progressed to a thin hemorrhagic state in the respiratory system where cattle have received lethal doses signs appear by the end of the second week there is rapid shallow breathing caused by a demon of the trachea and of the lungs nasal discharge is frequently read from hemorrhages in the nervous system of the animal the first symptom to appear is Dulles this is followed by muscle tremors [ __ ] muscles and the knuckling of fetlock joints of the hind legs a damaging effect which may strike all systems of the body is spontaneous hemorrhaging hemorrhages begin 10 to 13 days after a radiation internally they occur throughout the body and are especially severe within certain areas within the body cavities and organs emerges also appear in the lymph nodes and hemorrhaging is most prominent in mucous membranes externally there is spontaneous bleeding from old wounds prolonged bleeding of new wounds and bruises with blood and excreta and nasal discharge clotting is generally delayed the damage to these systems is indicated by body temperature let's look at how temperature changes in test cattle in 80 percent of one group temperatures rose one to three degrees above normal immediately following radiation exposure within 48 hours all temperatures return to normal however two or three weeks later 95 percent of the cattle showed a rapid increase in body temperature in fact as high as 110 degrees were recorded and many died within a week after the onset of fever the temperature of cattle exposed to external radiation appears to be a reliable factor in selecting animals suitable for food if temperatures are normal or if they have returned to normal and cattle are alert and strong they should be acceptable for slaughter preliminary experimental work is producing some interesting results with other farm animals in adult chickens that receive over 800 Rincon's clinical signs generally appear in three to five days in birds receiving less than 800 Rankin's signs appear after 10 days birds tend to crouch in a sleeping position wattles become a demitasse breathing is difficult due to a bloody nasal discharge when the dosage is more than a thousand Rankin's mortality begins during the second week and it is 100% as for eggs production is not seriously affected when chickens are exposed to 600 ranken's or less after a brief exposure of between 600 and 800 Rincon's egg production decreases to a minimum during the second and third weeks then it returns close to normal about the ninth week as birds recover all told chickens seemed to be about 25% more resistant to radiation than other test animals poultry and eggs milk and dairy products beef and pork products these are among the highest sources of man's protein thanks to continuing research we are learning answers to important questions what mortalities may we expect among unprotected farm animals in case of nuclear attacks what effects will livestock and their products suffer when gamma and beta radiation are combined the combination we can expect in fallout how great is the hazard to humans dependent upon these animal products how can we best implement known protective measures to minimize radiation effects on farm animals what protective measures can be taken to prevent or minimize the amount of radioactive material consumed by farm animals and thus assist in the production of safe wholesome food the research we are doing will influence our survival from a nuclear attack and help ensure national recovery [Music] [Music]