Effects of daily oral subtoxic doses of a wet lead-based paint on cattle.

Cattle were dosed daily with a wet lead-based paint at a rate of about 6 mg of lead per kg per day for 60 weeks. The cattle did not exhibit overt symptoms of lead toxicosis. Blood and fecal samples collected during the study, and tissue samples obtained at slaughter of the animals were analyzed for lead by atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a graphite furnace. Levels of lead in whole blood generally did not exceed 0.5 ppm. The residues of lead in feces reached as high as 1000 ppm. Highest residues in tissues were in calcified bone, the kidney cortex, kidney medulla, and then in liver. Residues of lead in muscle, brain, spleen, and bone marrow were similar to residues of lead in the control animal. Calves born to 2 test animals had elevated levels of lead in bone, kidney and liver.