Technique du traceur radioactivable a posteriori. Application aux etudes d'alimentation du betail

RADIOACTIVATION TECHNIQUE “A POSTERIORI” FOR THE STUDY OF LIVESTOCK FEEDING The technique of the a posteriori radioactivable tracer has been successfully used for the quantitative determination of sheep food. Lutetium was used as inert tracer for the feeding material as it satisfied nuclear and zootechnical requirements of this type of experimentation. After feeding animals with a lutetium-enriched diet, faeces were collected, calcinated, activated with thermal neutrons and radioacitivity was measured by gamma spectromoetry. By this method 177Lu can be routinely measured with a sensitivity of 2×10−2 microgrammes.