Monthly Archives: February 2007

There is No Validated Test for rbST Use in Dairy Cows

Dale E Bauman
Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor
262 Morrison Hall
Department of Animal Science
Cornell University
Ithaca NY 14853-4801

Recently, there have been a number of comments on Dairy-L and occasionally a popular press article, which have proclaimed that Cornell University has developed a test for bST use in dairy cows; the articles have sometimes quoted Dr. R.C. Gorewit, the originator of the “test”, and referred to a 1997 patent he obtained for the test. These articles have led to a large amount of confusion: the following addresses some of the most frequently asked questions. Continue reading There is No Validated Test for rbST Use in Dairy Cows

Somatotropin, Milk and Cancer Risk – A Primer on How Activists Scare Consumers

Terry Etherton

Anti-biotech activists continue their drum beat of: danger, danger, don’t drink milk because it has hormones, hormones….you will get cancer! The propaganda they have shoveled out linking milk insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I – a naturally occurring protein hormone found in ALL milk) to an increased risk of cancer is an astonishing piece of nonsense. However, no problem – activist groups have never concerned themselves about basing their scare tactics on scientific facts. It saves time to just make it up! Continue reading Somatotropin, Milk and Cancer Risk – A Primer on How Activists Scare Consumers

Consumer – Farmer Price Difference for “rbST-Free” Milk Demonstrates Retail Price Gouging

Chad Dechow
Assistant Professor of Dairy Cattle Genetics
Department of Dairy and Animal Science
The Pennsylvania State University

The evil “Big Oil” companies are under threat of legislation and Congressional investigation for profiteering because they dare to make an entire 9 to 10 pennies per gallon of gasoline. Imagine the fun Congress could have with the folks selling rbST-free milk. For a mere dollar or two extra, you can now buy a gallon of milk from cows not treated with rbST. Only don’t pretend you’re helping out the hard working farmers who milk non rbST-treated cows. They will receive little or none of that premium. Continue reading Consumer – Farmer Price Difference for “rbST-Free” Milk Demonstrates Retail Price Gouging