J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1962. 21:473-478.
© 1962 American Society of Animal Science
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Growth and Sexual Development of Prenatally Irradiated Cattle1

N. R. Parish2, R. L. Murphree and E. W. Hupp3

University of Tennessee-Atomic Energy Commission, Agricultural Research Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Abstract

Data were obtained on the postnatal growth and sexual development of 57 control and 76 calves exposed to gamma radiation (400 r air dose, Co60) during the last half of prenatal life. Fetal irradiation caused a small decrease in growth rate. Ninety percent of the prenatally irradiated heifers were fertile when bred to normal bulls. Testis weights of the prenatally irradiated bulls were approximately 50% less than those of the control bulls when castrated at 187 days of age. In addition, bulls prenatally irradiated in the 5th or 8 month of fetal life produced 42% and 52% as many sperm as control bulls. Metabolic activity of the sperm from irradiated bulls was not different from that of the control bulls. Six percent of the dams died from acute irradiation sickness (average 23 days post-irradiation).

Footnotes

1 This manuscript is published with the permission of the Director of the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, Knoxville, Tennessee. The work was completed under Contract No. AT-40-1-GEN-242 between the University of Tennessee College of Agriculture and the Atomic Energy Commission.

2 Present address: King Ranch, Kingsville, Texas.

3 The authors thank W. H. Stone, Genetics Department, University of Wisconsin for performing the blood typing and Mrs. F. H. Cross for obtaining the hematology data.






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Copyright © 1962 by the American Society of Animal Science.