Biomaterial Database

[Hormonal disruptors and farm animals]. 1998

J L van Os

Global Institute for the study of natural resources, Den Haag. jlo@xs4all.nl

A number of man made environmental contaminants displays a weak hormonal, usually oestrogenic, activity. Currently such contaminants are termed hormone disruptors, a terminology that also includes natural compounds with hormonal activity, such as phyto and fungal oestrogens. Fertility and morphological defects in wildlife are related to high exposure to man made hormone disruptors. The potential threat of such exposure for human reproductive health is widely discussed. A possible decline in sperm counts in men is one of the subjects related to such environmental factors. There are no firm indications for this threat. Additional research is needed, however, for a more complete assessment. Farm animals so far played a minor role in the discussion. Therefore, in a study published elsewhere, long term trends in sperm counts of Dutch Dairy Bulls have been evaluated (27). No decline was found in 75,238 ejaculates collected between 1977 and 1996 from 2,314 bulls of the centre for artificial insemination (AI) NOORDWEST. Results of this study, published elsewhere, formed the reason to broader go into the relation between hormone disruptors and farm animals, observed effects of phyto-oestrogens in such animal and the role these animals could play in further research.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010937	Plant Growth Regulators	Any of the hormones produced naturally in plants and active in controlling growth and other functions. There are three primary classes: auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins.	Phytohormone,Phytohormones,Plant Growth Regulator,Plant Hormone,Plant Hormones,Growth Regulators, Plant,Regulators, Plant Growth,Growth Regulator, Plant,Hormone, Plant,Hormones, Plant,Regulator, Plant Growth
D002417	Cattle	Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor.	Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D004785	Environmental Pollutants	Substances or energies, for example heat or light, which when introduced into the air, water, or land threaten life or health of individuals or ECOSYSTEMS.	Environmental Pollutant,Pollutant,Pollutants,Pollutants, Environmental,Pollutant, Environmental
D004967	Estrogens	Compounds that interact with ESTROGEN RECEPTORS in target tissues to bring about the effects similar to those of ESTRADIOL. Estrogens stimulate the female reproductive organs, and the development of secondary female SEX CHARACTERISTICS. Estrogenic chemicals include natural, synthetic, steroidal, or non-steroidal compounds.	Estrogen,Estrogen Effect,Estrogen Effects,Estrogen Receptor Agonists,Estrogenic Agents,Estrogenic Compounds,Estrogenic Effect,Estrogenic Effects,Agents, Estrogenic,Agonists, Estrogen Receptor,Compounds, Estrogenic,Effects, Estrogen,Effects, Estrogenic,Receptor Agonists, Estrogen
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000829	Animals, Domestic	Animals which have become adapted through breeding in captivity to a life intimately associated with humans. They include animals domesticated by humans to live and breed in a tame condition on farms or ranches for economic reasons, including LIVESTOCK (specifically CATTLE; SHEEP; HORSES; etc.), POULTRY; and those raised or kept for pleasure and companionship, e.g., PETS; or specifically DOGS; CATS; etc.	Farm Animals,Domestic Animals,Domesticated Animals,Animal, Domestic,Animal, Domesticated,Animal, Farm,Animals, Domesticated,Animals, Farm,Domestic Animal,Domesticated Animal,Farm Animal
D013076	Sperm Count	A count of SPERM in the ejaculum, expressed as number per milliliter.	Sperm Number,Count, Sperm,Counts, Sperm,Number, Sperm,Numbers, Sperm,Sperm Counts,Sperm Numbers