"FDA approved the product (POSILAC) because the agency has determined after a thorough review that rbST is safe and effective for dairy cows." (Department of Health & Human Services, February 1994)

"A published study by two Cornell University researchers that examined eight years of data on the effects of bovine somatotropin (bST) has indicated that cows stay as healthy and remain in herds as long as cows in non-supplemented herds." (Feedstuffs, April 1999)

The safety of POSILAC has been evaluated in research herds and also demonstrated by extensive commercial use in countries that had registered POSILAC prior to its FDA approval in the U.S. Studies show the performance of calves born to cows treated with POSILAC bovine somatotropin was excellent. In studies, cows had received high doses of POSILAC during the first two trimesters of each gestation period. Newborn calves were normal in every respect and the rate of gain following birth was no different than that of the controls. These calves were allowed to grow to heifers, then bred and calved normally, and milked as expected.

References

1. Vicini JL, Hudson S, Cole WJ, Miller MA, et al: Effect of acute challenge with an extreme dose of somatotropin in a prolonged-release formulation on milk production and health of dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 1990;73:2093-2102.
   
2. Eppard PJ, Hudson S, Cole WJ, Hintz RL, et al: Response of dairy cows to high doses of a sustained-release bovine somatotropin administered during two lactations. 1. Production response. J Dairy Sci 1991;74:3807-3821.
   
3. Cole WJ, Eppard PJ, Boyser BG, Madsen KS, et al: Response of dairy cows to high doses of a sustained-release bovine somatotropin administered during two lactations. 2. Health and reproduction. J Dairy Sci 1992;75:111-123.