Bovine growth hormone (BGH) is a hormone that regulates the growth and milk production of cows. In the 1980s, Monsanto discovered how to produce BGH synthetically, resulting in rBGH, which can increase milk production by up to 25% but is hard on cows’ bodies. Some concerns have been raised about the impact of rBGH on human health, and the European Union has banned its use in cattle. Some consumers actively seek out milk that is rBGH-free.
Bovine growth hormone (BGH) is a natural hormone secreted by the pituitary glands of cattle. You may also hear BGH referred to as “bovine somatotropin” or BST. This hormone enters the bloodstream and regulates the rate of growth and milk production for the cow. As early as the 1930s, people noticed that when BGH levels were increased in livestock by harvesting the hormone from cow cadavers, milk production also increased, and many companies were interested in using BGH to increase milk production.
In the 1980s, the Monsanto Company discovered how to produce BGH synthetically by genetically altering bacteria to produce the hormone. This process is known as ‘recombinant DNA’, reflecting the idea that the DNA of the host bacteria has been modified for a specific end purpose. The result was rBGH, a synthetic form of BGH that was easy to produce on a large scale and was approved for use in the US in the early 1990s.
Cows treated with rBGH actually produce more milk, sometimes up to 25% more, but the hormone is very hard on their bodies. Increased BGH levels lead to bone calcium deficiency and a variety of other health problems. Since BGH can be used to force cows to produce milk year-round whether or not they calve, the hormone also prompts the body to produce abnormally high levels of milk which can lead to early degeneration. Cows treated with BGH typically have a short life and are prone to mastitis, an udder infection, joint pain and broken bones. The use of BGH is often reserved for the last milking cycles before slaughter.
Some concerns have been raised about the impact of BGH on human health. Studies done on the hormone seem to indicate that it is species specific, meaning that even if the hormone or its byproducts end up in milk, it shouldn’t affect human consumers. The United States Food and Drug Administration states that rBGH milk is identical to milk made without the use of the hormone.
However, some people and regulatory agencies disagree. The European Union has banned the use of BGH in its cattle, and some consumers actively seek out milk that has been labeled rBGH- or rBST-free. Commercial dairy producers and Monsanto have tried to fight such labels, claiming they harm consumers and have been defeated numerous times in court.
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