Bovine Growth Hormone
Terry Etherton’s Blog
December 21, 2006
Rich Maloof for MSN Health & Fitness
Full article at MSN.com
Excerpt…
Reality Check
The synthetic growth hormone is used to help cows produce milk more efficiently.
Growth hormones exist naturally in a dairy cow and in the milk she produces. The hormone, called bovine somatotropin (bST) or bovine growth hormone (bGH), is a determining factor in how much milk the cattle can produce. In 1993, a synthetic growth hormone was approved for use. When injected in a cow, the synthetic hormone extends the cow’s lactation period, increasing her milk production by at least 10 percent. Treated cows produce more milk with less feed and less animal waste, making an entire herd as efficient as the farmer’s best cow. (Read on …)