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 monogastric animals and ruminants have been correlated to their corresponding animal body mass (mb). Taking all data into account, a close relationship between both transfer factor and body mass becomes evident, yielding a regression function of T f = 8.0 x mb(-0.91) (r = -0.97). For monogastric animals (including poultry), the corresponding relationships are T f = 5.8 x mb(-0.70) (r = -0.97), for ruminants T f = 1.9 x mb(-0.72) (r = -0.78). The equations offer the opportunity to estimate the transfer factor for individual animals more precisely taking individual body masses into account. They are of interest for animals, on which no or only poor data concerning radiocesium transfer factors are available. The determination of radiocesium transfer factors are reduced to a simple weighing process.