Researchers in the US found that men whose mothers who ate beef more than once a day had significantly reduced sperm concentrations.
Sons of high beef consumers were three times more likely to have sperm counts low enough to be classified as sub-fertile.
One leading British fertility scientist commenting on the findings described them as "alarming".
The exact cause of the association remains a mystery. But experts are pointing the finger of suspicion at growth hormones used to fatten up cattle.
Six of the chemicals are still commonly used by cattle farmers in the US and Canada. However, all growth promoters were banned in the European Union in 1988.
Animal studies have suggested that eating meat containing growth hormone residues can affect fertility.
The US scientists, led by Professor Shanna Swan, from the University of Rochester in New York State, studied 387 men born between 1949 and 1983.
As well as analysing the men's semen quality, the scientists questioned their mothers about what they ate when pregnant. On average, the women reported eating 4.3 beef meals a week.
Fifty one women who ate beef more than seven times a week were classified as "high beef consumers". The study found that their sons had sperm counts more than 24% lower than men whose mothers consumed less beef.
This doesn't address the reason why so many farming and ranching families are so big, we certainly ate and still eat large amounts of beef.
Sons of high beef consumers were three times more likely to have sperm counts low enough to be classified as sub-fertile.
One leading British fertility scientist commenting on the findings described them as "alarming".
The exact cause of the association remains a mystery. But experts are pointing the finger of suspicion at growth hormones used to fatten up cattle.
Six of the chemicals are still commonly used by cattle farmers in the US and Canada. However, all growth promoters were banned in the European Union in 1988.
Animal studies have suggested that eating meat containing growth hormone residues can affect fertility.
The US scientists, led by Professor Shanna Swan, from the University of Rochester in New York State, studied 387 men born between 1949 and 1983.
As well as analysing the men's semen quality, the scientists questioned their mothers about what they ate when pregnant. On average, the women reported eating 4.3 beef meals a week.
Fifty one women who ate beef more than seven times a week were classified as "high beef consumers". The study found that their sons had sperm counts more than 24% lower than men whose mothers consumed less beef.
This doesn't address the reason why so many farming and ranching families are so big, we certainly ate and still eat large amounts of beef.