The Influence of Biologically and Conventionally Cultivated Food on the Fertility of Rats

Abstract

Biologically and conventionally grown products of the same variety, obtained from neighbouring farms were compared for their influence on the fertility of two groups of laboratory rats up to the third generation. Group A was fed with biologically cultivated food and group B with conventionally cultivated food. This investigation included a comprehensive analytica programme. Any nutritional deficiencies were compensated for so that, according to analytical standards, the diets were of equal nutritional quality. The following parameters were examined: pregnancy rate, birth weight and weekly weight gain of the offspring, rearing performance, weight development of the female rats after birth and during lactation. There was no significant difference in the pregnancy rate between the two test groups. The average litter weight was mostly higher in group A than in group B, but not significantly so. There were significantly fewer perinatally dead offspring in the biologically fed group. The biologically fed females displayed a much greater capacity to compensate weight loss during and after lactation. Their weight gain was significantly higher than in the conventionally fed group.