1972 Volume 43 Issue 11 Pages 620-624
Eight sheep were fed a ration containing crystalline BHC at the level of 12ppm and 4ppm to investigate pesticide residue and its decline in body fat. Subcutaneous fat biopsy samples were surgically removed from the part of back. BHC extraction from the fat samples and partial purification were carried out as described by Mitts and thus treated BHC samples were subjected to analysis by electoron capture gas-liquid chromatography.
1. BHC residue in subcutaneous fat increased remarkably after the animals were maintained on the ration contained BHC for six weeks. At twenty-first weeks the residue in subcutaneous fat from sheep fed the ration contained BHC at the level of 12ppm, were 58.95ppm and 53.89ppm whereas 26.34ppm and 19.72ppm of BHC were detected in the fat from sheep fed the ration contained BHC at the level of 4ppm.
2. When the ration contained BHC were changed to a normal ration after six weeks, BHC residue decreased in subcutaneous fat.
3. The rate of BHC decline in subcutaneous fat was 10.2% per week and β-BHC showed the slowest decline than the rest isomers.
4. The concentration and isomer composition of BHC residue did not show any difference among subcutaneous fat of back and rump, deposited fat of mesentry, kidney and M. L. dorosi.
5. The body weight gain of the sheep reared with a ration contained BHC through the test period was inferior to the other sheep.
