gm maize study finds fertility lowered in mice

In a long-term feeding trial commissioned by the Austrian government and published last week, mice fed on GM corn (maize) were found to have fewer offspring and lower birth rates.

Professor Dr Jurgen Zentek, Professor for Veterinary Medicine at the University of Vienna and lead author of the study, said a GM diet effected the fertility of mice.

One of the studies was a reproductive assessment by continuous breeding (RACB) trial, in which the same parent generation gave birth to several litters of baby mice. The parents were fed either with a diet containing 33per cent of GM maize, a hybrid of Monsanto's MON 810 and another variety, and a normal feed mix.

The team found changes that were 'statistically significant' in the third and fourth litters produced by the mice given a GM diet. There were fewer offspring, while the young mice were smaller.

Prof Zentek said there was a direct link between the changes seen and the GM diet.

From the study abstract:
"The RACB trial showed time related negative reproductive effects of the GM maize under the given experimental conditions."
"The outcome of this study suggests that future studies on the safety of GM feed and food should include reproduction studies."

Perhaps this is the environmentally friendly benefit of using GM seed that Monsanto has been touting - they're unwittingly helping to reduce population growth!