DEVELOPMENT OF A GENERAL EQUATION TO DETERMINE THE TRANSFER-FACTOR FEED-TO-MEAT FOR RADIOCESIUM ON THE BASIS OF THE BODY-MASS OF DOMESTIC-ANIMALS

Transfer factors from feed to meat (T-f), taken from literature for mo nogastric animals and ruminants have been correlated to their correspo nding animal body mass (m(b)). Taking all data into account, a close r elationship between both transfer factor and body mass becomes evident , yielding a regression function of T-f = 8.0 x m(b)(-0.91) (r = -0.97 ). For monogastric animals (including poultry), the corresponding rela tionships are T-f 5.8 x m(b)(-0.70) (r = -0.97), for ruminants T-f = 1 .9 x m(b)(-0.72) (r = -0.78). The equations offer the opportunity to e stimate the transfer factor for individual animals more precisely taki ng individual body masses into account. They are of interest for anima ls, on which no or only poor data concerning radiocesium transfer fact ors are available. The determination of radiocesium transfer factors a re reduced to a simple weighing process.