Bovine Growth Hormone, or BGH, is a replica of a naturally occurring hormone present in cows that helps in milk production. It aids in the production of milk, increasing it by 10-15%, which is a substantial amount for farmers, due to the increasing consumption and demand for cow’s milk and dairy products.
The hormone is administered to cows, by a genetically engineered process. Genetic engineering is becoming common these days, and new methods of increased production of naturally occurring substances are being executed all over the world. The use of the recombinant BGH is one such example, for increasing natural milk production in cows.
There has been much controversy over the use of the BGH in animals, due to the side effects caused by its use. Despite its approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), doctors strictly condemn its use because it causes certain abnormalities in the cow, which may also affect humans, upon consumption.
According to the ‘Shirley’s Wellness Café”, the US General Accounting Office and the Consumer’s Union both have discouraged the use of products obtained from BGH-treated cows, as they cause potential harm to the human body. It is unsafe for the consumption of such products, and the BGH is also banned in some countries. Doctors have given their opinions in this article; they have tried educating readers to avoid milk attained from BGH treated cows and stated the harmful hazards of consuming such milk.
An article by Katy McLaughlin of the Wall Street Journal states that consumers have started to buy and use organic milk. They have been made aware of the potential hazards of consuming BGH treated cows’ milk, and have moved to buy organic milk products from the market. Various companies have started strategies for the promotion of their organic milk products, and have claimed that there is no difference between organic and the inorganic dairy products that they are manufacturing. However, on the other hand, the FDA has also justified its approval for the technique of milk production enhancement, by declaring that there is no health risk involved with the use of the Bovine Growth Hormone. According to an article published in The Boston Globe, the FDA stated that there is no health risk associated with BGH whatsoever, and if consumers wish to purchase milk or dairy products obtained from this genetically engineered hormone, they may do so (Saltus, R., 1990).
The health threats and other negative aspects that may be encountered on the consumption of milk from genetically engineered sources may be as follows:
- Illness of cows, including mastitis and udder inflammation.
- Infected milk, due to pus formation and the antibiotics that are then administered for its treatment.
- The milk produced may cause immunological effects upon consumption.
- It is different from natural milk, due to its nutritional value and chemical composition.
- It contains high levels of IGF-1, which is a natural growth factor, and if present in excessive amounts, may account for breast, colon, and prostate cancer.
- The small dairy farms are affected by the existence of these rBGH dairy farms and are suffering from a loss.
The St. Louis Business Journal stated that there is little scientific evidence about the negative reactions caused by the rBGH. The company that produces the Bovine Growth Hormone is Monsanto, Co., and sells the product by the name of ‘Posilac’. It had the approval of the use of this bioengineered hormone for cow milk production, but due to much controversy all over the world of the negative aspects of the use of this hormone, had to sell off its business to Elli Lilly recently, for $300 million. The production of bovine somatotropin in dairy herds is also said to have been made directly through the gene the cows use to produce milk, rather than being an artificially produced drug.
If a technique used by farmers and businesses was causing harm to the human body and was mere expenditure more than a benefit to the people, then it would be natural for voices to be raised. What is not understood at this point, is that if doctors say that there are ill effects of the milk consumed by BGH treated cows, then why is there a statement of ‘insufficient scientific research’ present. If there is no research-based evidence, there should be some justifications for the claims made by doctors and medical practitioners, who discourage its use.
The use of the Bovine Growth Hormone for boosting up milk production in cows is not a favorable practice, also because the quality of milk produced is affected by it. The dangers posed to life are more as compared to the enrichment caused to Monsanto. This is probably the reason underlying the sale of the business, as the enterprise could not put up with the pointing fingers, in accusation of posing threats to human life.
The use of the Bovine Growth Hormone in cows, as seen in these articles, is harmful and dangerous for human consumption, and should be reduced in homes where it is preferred.
Works Cited
- Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) 2008. Web.
- Monsanto Finishes Sale of Bovine Growth Hormone 2008. St. Louis Business Journal. Web.
- Saltus R. Milk with Bovine Growth Hormone Presents No Health Risk, FDA Says. The Boston Globe 1990. Web.
- Wall Street Journal on Organic Milk and the Bovine Growth Hormone Issue 2005.