Disorders of the Reproductive Health of Cattle as a Response to Exposure to Toxic Metals

Abstract

The aim of this review is to comprehensively present disorders of the reproductive system in cattle exposed to contact with toxic metals. Toxic metals are a common environmental pollutant and can come from mines, smelters, fossil fuel combustion, or volcanic eruptions. Metals have the ability to bioaccumulate in living organisms, thus contaminating the food chain and may pose a threat to humans. They accumulate mainly in the liver and kidneys, but also in muscles and fat tissue. Toxic metals such as lead (Pb), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) have a negative impact on the fertility of animals; they can lead to abortions, premature calving, or oocyte dysfunction. Moreover, in the male reproductive system, they disrupt spermatogenesis, and cause apoptosis of sperm and oxidative damage. The main source of exposure of livestock to toxic metals is through the consumption of feed or contaminated water. It is important to monitor the level of heavy metals in animal products to prevent human poisoning. Toxic metal biomonitoring can be performed by testing urine, blood, milk, plasma, or hair. Chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd) are excreted in the urine, while lead can be detected by examining the blood of animals, while in milk, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) can be detected. Moreover, toxic metals do not biodegrade in the environment. To purify soil and waters, remediation methods, e.g., biological or chemical, should be used.

Sperm Quality Affected by Naturally Occurring Chemical Elements in Bull Seminal Plasma

“…Spermatozoa specifically exhibit reduced sperm count, morphological defects (head, acrosome, mitochondrial segment, flagellum), DNA fragmentation, etc. [ 18 ].…”

Protective effect of resveratrol against cadmium-induced toxicity on ovine oocyte in vitro maturation and fertilization

“…Anthropogenic activities and climate changes have led to a dramatic increase of chemical pollutant levels in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Over recent years, a large body of studies have underlined associations between the exposure to several environmental chemicals and female reproductive disorders in humans and animals [1,2]. Among inorganic pollutants, heavy metals represent a potential threat to reproductive health, due to the high global annual emission rate [3].…”

Arsenic exposure and its implications in male fertility

“…The intensity of their toxicity depends on route of exposure, dose, frequency, and chemical species, as well as age, gender, genetics, and nutritional status of exposed individuals ( Tchounwou et al, 2012 ; Wu et al, 2016 ; Machado-Neves, 2022 ). Heavy metal poisoning in the livestock industry has a negative impact on animal fertility and productivity, with possible contamination of milk and meat, which represents a silent economic loss and serious food safety problem ( Verma et al, 2018 ; Guvvala et al, 2020 ; Wrzecinska et al, 2021 ).…”