The effects of subterranean clover phytoestrogens on sheep growth, reproduction and carcass characteristics

Pace, V.; Carbone, Katya; Spirito, F.; Iacurto, M.; Terzano, Mario G.; Verna, M.; Vincenti, F.; Settineri, D.

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2006.05.006

Cited by 24 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…This enhancement was associated with higher concentrations of growth hormone and insulin like growth factor-1 in red clover-fed lambs compared to grass-fed lambs. Same results were obtained by Pace et al (2006) who reported that male and female lambs fed subterranean clover selected for low formononetin content had a significant higher body weight gain compared with those fed Italian ryegrass (non-estrogenic roughage).…”

Section: Animal Growthsupporting

confidence: 71%

Impacts of Phytoestrogens on Livestock Production: A Review

Hashem

Soltan

2016

Egyptian Journal of Nutrition and Feeds

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hytoestrogens, polyphenolic compounds, are one of the major plant secondary metabolites found abundantly in animal diets. However, these phytochemicals play initial important roles in plant growth, development and maintenance. They also have many biological roles in animal body, affecting their productivity. The richest sources of phytoestrogens in animal diets are legumes, particularly, soybeans and clover. These plants often comprise substantial part of animal feed, thus presenting a potential source of phytoestrogens.The interest in these compounds was started earlier, over 50 years ago, when they have been known to affect fertility of an Australian sheep herd, resulting in an economic loss. The putative effects of phytoestrogens are based on their structural similarity to the mammalian estrogen 17β-estradiol (E 2 ) and thus their potency to bind with mammalian estrogen receptors. More attention has been paid to these metabolites since they can act as estrogen agonists or antagonists which make their effects are not expected.. The estrogenic activity of phytoestrogens depends on many factors such as chemical structure of the compound, bioavailability, animal specie, responsive tissue and its estrogen receptor (ER) sub-type (ER α or ER β ) and metabolites resulting from their fermentation and digestion. Reports showed that phytoestrogens could affect animal fertility and growth, quality of animal products and human health. This review illustrates the impacts of phytoestrogens on the livestock production system, focusing on physiology of reproduction, as well as the knowledge obtained from research in laboratory and field scales.

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Section: Animal Growthsupporting

confidence: 71%

Impacts of Phytoestrogens on Livestock Production: A Review

Hashem

Soltan

2016

Egyptian Journal of Nutrition and Feeds

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“…This effect may be associated with greater hormone production [44]. Pace et al (2006) [45] fed lambs (27 kg) for a year on either Italian ryegrass (non-oestrogenic) or low oestrogen cultivars of subterranean clover. The clover contained isoflavones (797 mg/kg; formononetin content <80 mg/kg).…”

Section: Anabolic Effects Of Phytoestrogensmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fertility of Herbivores Consuming Phytoestrogen-containing Medicago and Trifolium Species

Reed¹

2016

Agriculture

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Despite their unrivalled value in livestock systems, certain temperate, pasture, legume species and varieties may contain phytoestrogens which can lower flock/herd fertility. Such compounds, whose chemical structure and biological activity resembles that of estradiol-17α, include the isoflavones that have caused devastating effects (some of them permanent) on the fertility of many Australian sheep flocks. While the persistence of old 'oestrogenic' ecotypes of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) in pasture remains a risk, genetic improvement has been most effective in lowering isoflavone production in Trifolium species; infertility due to 'clover disease' has been greatly reduced. Coumestans, which can be produced in Medicago species responding to stress, remain a potential risk in cultivars susceptible to, for example, foliar diseases. In the field, coumestrol is often not detected in healthy vegetative Medicago species. Wide variation in its concentration is influenced by environmental factors and stage of growth. Biotic stress is the most studied environmental factor and, in lucerne/alfalfa (Medicago sativa), it is the major determinant of oestrogenicity. Concentrations up to 90 mg coumestrol/kg (all concentrations expressed as DM) have been recorded for lucerne damaged by aphids and up to 600 mg/kg for lucerne stressed by foliar disease(s). Other significant coumestans, e.g., 4'-methoxy-coumestrol, are usually present at the same time. Concentrations exceeding 2000 mg coumestrol/kg have been recorded in diseased, annual species of Medicago. Oestrogenicity of some Medicago species is also influenced by maturity and senescence. Studies in Israel, North America, Europe, New Zealand and Australia have confirmed that coumestans in lucerne, represent an acute or sub-acute loss of reproductive efficiency in herbivores, e.g., sheep, cattle, and possibly horses. When sufficiently exposed peri-conception, coumestrol, sometimes present in lucerne, be it as pasture, hay, silage, pellets, meal, and sprouts, is associated with what can be an insidious, asymptomatic, infertility syndrome. Most livestock research with oestrogenic lucerne has been conducted with sheep. Ewes may be at risk when the coumestrol concentration in their diet exceeds 25 mg/kg. In studies where lambing was compared for lucerne and a phytoestrogen-free treatment, the mean decrease in lambs born/ewe was 13%; ewes on lucerne, exhibited a lower frequency of multiple births.

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“…These compounds enter surface waters through agricultural nonpoint sources as well as industrial and municipal wastewater effluents. Analogous to biogenic estrogen counterparts, phytoestrogens can influence development [10][11][12][13][14], alter behavior [11,15,16], and impair reproductive success [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] in individuals. Population significance is yet to be established.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Population significance is yet to be established. Although these studies suggest deleterious effects of phytoestrogen exposure, they were either conducted in mammalian models [10,13,17], used adult animals [10][11][12]17], did not include methylated derivatives of phytoestrogens [10][11][12]15,17], or did not include phytoestrogen mixtures [11,12]. Advancing our understanding of biological responses following phytoestrogen exposures singly and in mixtures will provide information regarding the cumulative effect of natural phytoestrogen mixtures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phytoestrogens in the environment, I: Occurrence and exposure effects on fathead minnows

Rearick

Fleischhacker

Kelly

et al. 2014

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Naturally occurring phytoestrogens may mimic biogenic estrogens and modulate endocrine action in vertebrates. Little is known, however, about their temporal and spatial variability in the environment and the biological effects associated with exposures. The present study assessed the environmental presence of phytoestrogens in human-impacted and relatively pristine areas. The response in larval and sexually mature fathead minnows to environmentally relevant concentrations of 3 common phytoestrogens (genistein, daidzein, and formononetin), both singly and in mixture, was also quantified. Phytoestrogens were only present in the human-impacted surface waters. When detected, mean concentrations were low (± standard deviation) in an urban lake: 1.4 ± 0.5 ng/L, 1.6 ± 0.7 ng/L, and 1.1 ± 0.2 ng/L for genistein, daidzein, and formononetin, respectively, and in treated wastewater effluent: 1.6 ± 0.4 ng/L, 1.8 ± 1.3 ng/L, and 2.0 ng/L. Biochanin A was detected twice, whereas zearalenone and coumestrol were never detected. No clear temporal trends of aqueous phytoestrogen concentration were evident. Larval survival was significantly reduced in genistein, formononetin, and mixture treatments, whereas adult male fish only exhibited subtle changes to their anatomy, physiology, and behavior. Daidzein-exposed adult females produced greater quantities of eggs. The present study indicates that genistein, daidzein, and formononetin are likely attenuated rapidly and are unlikely to cause widespread ecological harm in the absence of other stressors.

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The effects of subterranean clover phytoestrogens on sheep growth, reproduction and carcass characteristics

Cited by 24 publications

References 16 publications

Impacts of Phytoestrogens on Livestock Production: A Review

Impacts of Phytoestrogens on Livestock Production: A Review

Fertility of Herbivores Consuming Phytoestrogen-containing Medicago and Trifolium Species

Phytoestrogens in the environment, I: Occurrence and exposure effects on fathead minnows

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