Do Australian farmers use hormones on their cattle?
While most producers do not use them, it is estimated that around 40 per cent of Australia’s beef comes from cattle treated with hormone growth promotants (HGP’s). Hormone growth promotants (HGP’s) are legal and safe supplements of naturally occurring hormones used by some cattle producers to assist in growth and increase feed efficiency in cattle. Naturally occurring hormone levels in Australian beef from cattle treated with hormone growth promotants (HGP’s) are much lower than those found in other commonly consumed foods such as soybean oil, cabbage and eggs. In fact, you would have to eat more than 77kg of beef from cattle treated with hormone growth promotants (HGP’s) in one sitting to get the same oestrogen as you do from eating one egg.* Many scientific studies (including studies evaluated by the World Health Organisation) have shown beef from cattle treated with hormone growth promotants (HGP’s) to be completely safe for human consumption.^ The use of hormone growth promotants (
