14— Lancaster Farming, Saturday, JVlay 4, 1963 2 Protect Livestock And Feed From Radioactive Fallout By. M. 51. Smith Count* Afji'ifwltural Agent Radioactive lallout from a nuclear explosion could emit radiation that would injure or kill exposed cattle, sheep, horses, pigs and other farm animals Where the tallout is hea\y, the main danger to ani mals is external radiation trom fallout particles lying on the ground and root sin faces If animals are not exposed to laige amounts of this radia tion. they Mill usually not get enough to cause cntical injury fiom skin contamination, or tiom internal injury caused by drinking contaminated water oi eating contaminated Ic“d Foi animals, as lor humans, sheltei is the best pi creation against fallout, it is usually impractical to remove animals iiom tallout aieas, theiefoie. sheltei facilities should be pio iided and kept in ieadmess, as well as an adequate supply of feed and water A good shelter is a two-story, basement-type barn with a hay filled loft This type ot build ing will reduce radiation as much as 80 peicent Ne\t best is the same type of barn with out a basement Concrete buildings give moie protection than wooden buildings, how ever, a good tight wooden barn would i educe ladiation hy about 50 percent Theiefoie, most Pennsylvania bains filled with hay or stiavv will provide good piotection to animals fi om tallout ' Poultiv aie more resistent to ladiation oxposuie than are other species ot taim live stock, also, most poultiy aie kept under sheltei and should have a gieater chance of s.u vn al than other livestock Feeds should be protected hv having a loot over it oi by placing a heavy cover over it, since tallout is like turn dust, a covei will pi event it from coming in contact or being mixed with the teea. Gram stoied in a peimanenr b.n or covei ed silo would be well pro tected A haysticc in an open field could be piotecled with a canvas taipaubn oi similar covei mg The covering may be removed after the danger of tallout is over and the hay would be safe to use Unpro tected inateual= such bay or stiavv out in the open fields may be sate loi feeding, onlv atter the outei layei (1-2 to 15 inches) was lemoved ■\Vatei ti om covei ed souices such as spiings or wells, usual ly would be iiee tiom oon.a mniation and be sate foi us 3 both hv man and animals s\atei stoied outside in open tioughs 01 ban els should be covei ed with any material that w '! keep out the dust Fa. 111 ponds, lakes, and sti earns are almost impossible to piotect and this watei should not he used unless 111 gently needed Inestock taimois are uiged to make plans foi piote-ting thou animals in case or tail cut jiroMde a good shelter lor jll ot them and project their teed and valei supplies Have plenty ot teed ‘-applies handv aid ha\e under coier awav from the fallout dust I'ieiention i, much bcttoi than cuics, we uigenual lolko to make plans toi the p 1 erec tion ol their famih, anl then tot their li\f>sto