TOKYO, July 18 (KUNA) -- More cows were confirmed Monday to have been shipped after being fed rice straw contaminated with radioactive cesium, with 411 from seven farms in Fukushima Prefecture, where the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, and 24 from a farm in Niigata Prefecture, Kyodo News Agency reported. Of the 411 cows shipped from the Fukushima farms, 199 went to Tokyo, according to the report. In trying to alleviate mounting concerns over possibly contaminated beef, the central government is set to suspend shipments of beef cattle from Fukushima Prefecture as early as Tuesday, after ascertaining how widespread the contaminated straw is, the report said, citing government sources.
The straw was apparently contaminated following the release of massive amounts of radioactive materials from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant soon after it was crippled by the March 11 powerful earthquake and tsunami. The straw that remained at the Fukushima farms was found to contain the isotope measuring as high as 690,000 becquerels per kilogram, far above allowable limits and the highest concentration found so far in the current turmoil. On March 19, the central government instructed farmers in areas around the damaged Fukushima power plant not to give livestock feed that had been stored outdoors. But six of the farms were not aware of a government notice, while another farm went against the instruction as it was not able to procure feed blend due to disruption of its supply system following the March disaster.
Separately on Saturday, authorities in Fukushima Prefecture also discovered that 84 cows shipped fo five prefectures, including Tokyo, from Fukushima's five beef cattle farms were fed with straw contaminated with high levels of radioactive cesium. (end) mk.mt KUNA 181740 Jul 11NNNN