Milk from cows treated with the rbST hormone is not only identical to other milk, but is also more eco-friendly, says a scientific review sponsored by Elanco, the company that bought Monsantos rbST business last year.
In the 1930s, it was discovered that increasing levels of bovine somatotrophin (bST), a hormone produced naturally by lactating cows, led to greater milk volumes. Monsanto developed an artificial version rbST in 1994, and controversy has dogged the product ever since. Its use is banned in Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, although bulk milk products from rbST-treated cows can still be used in food manufacture. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved rbST for use in 1993.
Now a review of the scientific data on rbST first presented at the Joint Annual Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association, Canadian Society of Animal Science, and American Society of Animal Science in July has said that rbST is one example of the kinds of efficient food production practices that will help feed the world in the future.
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