What Is Bovine Growth Hormones?

Cattle naturally produce a hormone called bovine somatotropin (bST) that affects the amount of milk they produce during lactation. Bovine growth hormones are artificial versions of this hormone that farmers inject into cows' bodies to cause them to produce more milk.

  1. The Facts

    • Scientists use recombinant DNA technology to produce a synthetic version of the growth hormone that naturally occurs in a cow's body. According to rbSTFacts.org, this synthetic version is called by a variety of names, including recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST), bovine growth hormones (bGH) and recombinant bovine growth hormones (rbGH).

    Drug Information

    • According to FDA.gov, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Monsanto Company's rBST drug (called Posilac) in November 1993. Posilac is the only recombinant bovine somatotropin product approved for use in dairy cattle in the U.S.

    Time Frame

    • Monsanto Company sold Posilac to dairy farmers from 1994 to 2008. According to Monsanto.com, Elanco (a worldwide animal health company) purchased the Posilac brand from Monsanto in 2008 for an upfront cost of $300 million.

    Benefits

    • Bovine growth hormones allow dairy farmers to increase their income by improving the milk production of their cows. They can decrease the size of their herds of cows and still produce the same amount of milk by using bovine growth hormones.

    Considerations

    • The use of artificial bovine growth hormones is extremely controversial in the U.S. Although the FDA stands by its original ruling that rbST is safe for human consumption, many consumers err on the side of caution and opt to purchase milk from non-rbST-treated cows.