Is there any difference between milk from bST supplemented cows and unsupplemented cows?
For all practical purposes no. There are no differences in nutrient content (i.e., fat, protein, calcium, vitamins, etc.) or sensory characteristics (flavor, color, etc.). There is no difference in bST content. The concentration of IGF-1 in milk from supplemented cows is slightly higher than from unsupplemented cows. However, the average increase in concentration in milk is small compared to normal variations in concentration of this compound from cow-to-cow in milk from unsupplemented animals. The average increase of IGF-1 in milk produced by supplemented cows is also small compared to the variation in amounts that occur normally from the beginning to end of the cow’s lactation period.
