Certain physiological factors affecting organochlorine pesticide metabolism in ovine females.

Twenty-eight crossbred 2-year-old ewes were used · to determine the effects of pregnancy and lacta­ tion on the body storage of DDT and dieldrin and on their elimination in milk. Pregnancy did not significantly affect total DDT degradation in ewes, but significantly affected dieldrin metaoo­ lism. Body fat from pregnant animals averaged higher in dieldrin concentration at parturition than did that of nonpregnant animals at a com­ parable sampling time. After parturition, DDT, DDT metabolites, and dieldrin decreased steadily