The Rural Voice, 1987-09, Page 16COMPLETE LINE OF
ANIMAL FEED
— Hog
— Veal
— Dairy
treleaven'
vi)
— Beef
— Poultry
— Pet
wed. to wed.
111
treleaven's
feed mill ltd.
box 182, lucknow, ont. NOG 2H0
519-528-3000
1.800265-3006
14 THE RURAL VOICE
LIVESTOCK HORMONES:
A GROWING ISSUE
All actions beyond the ordinary limits
are subject to some sinister interpretation.
— Montaigne
The European Economic Com-
munity (EEC) has banned the use
of all hormones in the raising of live-
stock. The ban includes imported
livestock products and compels
Canadian farmers to take a close look
at the question of using hormones
when raising veal calves and beef
cattle. In the future, the issue could
also involve dairy cattle and hogs.
Are the benefits of increased milk
production per cow, or faster growth
and leaner pork, worth risking the loss
of Canada's limited meat and cheese
exports to the EEC?
In the June issue of New Biotech,
a speech given by Kan Christianson,
president of DES Action USA, a
group based in California, is printed.
Christianson says that she is a second -
generation victim of the use of the
hormone DES (diethylstilbestrol). (It
is now known that some children of
pregnant women, women who were
treated with DES a generation ago,
have severe health problems as a
result of that treatment. The mothers
were not affected.)
Christianson opposes the use of the
hormone somatotropin for increased
milk production in dairy cattle. "1 am
not convinced by the argument that
BGH (bovine growth hormone) is
safe and does not affect cows or hu-
mans because it is a hormone that
occurs naturally in dairy cows," she
says. "Estrogen is a hormone that
occurs naturally in women, but we
now know the consequences of admin-
istering additional synthetic hormone
to pregnant women." (There have
been claims that additional estrogen
causes cancer in some women.)
Scientists hotly deny any danger to
humans from somatotropin. They say
that in milk from treated cows, not the
least increase in somatotropin has
ever been found. As can be expected,
Christianson and her action group are
not convinced. The United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
agrees with the scientists, however,
and has licensed use of the hormone.
One should bear in mind that DES
was administered directly to expectant
women who stood in danger of losing
the fetus. There is no evidence tying
DES use in cattle to problems in
humans.
Estrogen was, and is, administered
to women with severe "hot flashes"
during and after menopause. The
claims that its use causes cancer are
disputed.
Both treatments, compared to what
nature provides, use a massive dose.
Somatotropin, because it is a natural
hormone in cattle, is present in minute
quantities in cow's milk. There is no
evidence that somatotropin could
upset the human, or for that matter the
cow's, metabolism. Nor is there any
evidence with regard to DES.
Again I raise the question of our
exports to the EEC. Is it worth
antagonizing a significant group of
consumers who have the perception
that food produced in conjunction with
the use of hormones is dangerous to
one's health?
Fortunately, there is still ample
time to consider the issue. As long as
cows and hogs must be injected daily,
I don't see the use of somatotropin
becoming widespread. Some pro-
gressive farmers will take the time
because they will be, through their
records, aware of the extra profits to
be had. But the majority will wait
until they, through economic forces,
are compelled to join the future.0
ADRIAN VOS, FROM HURON COUNTY,
HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE RURAL
VOICE SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1975.