Use Of Somatotropin Research Articles

Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids and Prohibited Substances Misuse among Iranian Recreational Female Bodybuilders and its Associated Psycho-socio-demographic Factors.

BackgroundThe growing tendency to anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and prohibited substances misuse by female athletes is a new public health concern. Epidemiological studies in this field are necessary to introduce an effective preventive drug control program in gyms. This study directed to evaluate the prevalence of AAS and other banned substances use and assess its association with some psycho-social and also demographic parameters among Iranian female recreational bodybuilders.MethodsThis study was done from January to March 2017 and 289 recreational female bodybuilders from 41 randomly-selected fitness and sports clubs in different geographic parts of Tehran, Iran, were included. Age, education level, months of sport involvement, frequency of sport participation in a week (hour), body image assessed by Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), and history of AAS and substances intake as the psycho-socio-demographic parameters were recorded by interviews using questionnaires.FindingsSubjects were all recreational female bodybuilders [mean and standard deviation (SD) of age: 26.3 ± 6.3, range: 15-52 years]. Self-report of AAS abuse was recorded in 70 bodybuilders (24.2%). Among prohibited substances, the use of stimulants (amphetamine or methamphetamine) and other illicit drugs was recorded in 10 (3.5%) and 95 (32.9%) athletes, respectively. 112 (38.8%) participants reported somatotropin use. Cigarette smoking, hookah use, and alcohol intake were reported by 42 (14.5%), 162 (56.1%), and 49 (17.0%) female bodybuilders, respectively. Among different evaluated parameters, merely the frequency of sport participation in a week and sport experience was inversely associated with AAS consumption.ConclusionBased on the subjects’ self-statement, AAS and substance misuse was surprisingly common in recreational female bodybuilders. Some factors including weekly frequency of sport participation and the duration of sport involvement may influence the prevalence of AAS abuse.

EFSA's assistance for the 2015 Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food (CCRVDF) in relation to rBST

EFSA's assistance for the 2015 Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food (CCRVDF) in relation to rBST

Update on human health concerns of recombinant bovine somatotropin use in dairy cows

The 20 yr of commercial use of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) in the United States provide the backdrop for reviewing the outcome of use on human health issues by the upcoming 78th meeting of the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives. These results and further advancements in scientific knowledge indicate there are no new human health issues related to the use of rbST by the dairy industry. Use of rbST has no effect on the micro- and macrocomposition of milk. Also, no evidence exists that rbST use has increased human exposure to antibiotic residues in milk. Concerns that IGF-I present in milk could have biological effects on humans have been allayed by studies showing that oral consumption of IGF-I by humans has little or no biological activity. Additionally, concentrations of IGF-I in digestive tract fluids of humans far exceed any IGF-I consumed when drinking milk. Furthermore, chronic supplementation of cows with rbST does not increase concentrations of milk IGF-I outside the range typically observed for effects of farm, parity, or stage of lactation. Use of rbST has not affected expression of retroviruses in cattle or posed an increased risk to human health from retroviruses in cattle. Furthermore, risk for development of type 1 or type 2 diabetes has not increased in children or adults consuming milk and dairy products from rbST-supplemented cows. Overall, milk and dairy products provide essential nutrients and related benefits in health maintenance and the prevention of chronic diseases.

Effects of continuous lactation and short dry periods on mammary function and animal health

The dry period is required to facilitate cell turnover in the bovine mammary gland in order to optimize milk yield in the next lactation. Traditionally, an 8-week dry period has been a standard management practice for dairy cows based on retrospective analyses of milk yields following various dry period lengths. However, as milk production per cow has increased, transitioning cows from the nonlactating state to peak milk yield has grown more problematic. This has prompted new studies on dry period requirements for dairy cows. These studies indicate a clear parity effect on dry period requirement. First parity animals require a 60-day dry period, whereas lactations following later parities demonstrate no negative impact with 30-day dry period or even eliminating the dry period when somatotropin (ST) is also used to maintain milk yields. Shortened dry periods in first parity animals were associated with reduced mammary cell turnover during the dry period and early lactation and increased numbers of senescent cells and reduced functionality of lactating alveolar mammary cells postpartum. Use of ST and increased milking frequency postpartum reduced the impact of shortened dry periods. The majority of new intramammary infections occur during the dry period and persist into the following lactation. There is therefore the possibility of altering mastitis incidence by modifying or eliminating the dry period in older parity animals. As the composition of mammary secretions including immunoglobulins may be reduced when the dry period is reduced or eliminated, there is the possibility that the immune status of cows during the peripartum period is influenced by the length of the dry period.

A comparison of the environmental impact of Jersey compared with Holstein milk for cheese production

The objective of this study was to compare the environmental impact of Jersey or Holstein milk production sufficient to yield 500,000 t of cheese (equivalent cheese yield) both with and without recombinant bovine somatotropin use. The deterministic model used 2009 DairyMetrics (Dairy Records Management Systems, Raleigh, NC) population data for milk yield and composition (Jersey: 20.9kg/d, 4.8% fat, 3.7% protein; Holstein: 29.1kg/d, 3.8% fat, 3.1% protein), age at first calving, calving interval, and culling rate. Each population contained lactating and dry cows, bulls, and herd replacements for which rations were formulated according to DairyPro (Agricultural Modeling and Training Systems, Cornell, Ithaca, NY) at breed-appropriate body weights (BW), with mature cows weighing 454kg (Jersey) or 680kg (Holstein). Resource inputs included feedstuffs, water, land, fertilizers, and fossil fuels. Waste outputs included manure and greenhouse gas emissions. Cheese yield (kg) was calculated according to the Van Slyke equation. A yield of 500,000 t of cheese required 4.94 billionkg of Holstein milk compared with 3.99 billionkg of Jersey milk—a direct consequence of differences in milk nutrient density (fat and protein contents) between the 2 populations. The reduced daily milk yield of Jersey cows increased the population size required to supply sufficient milk for the required cheese yield, but the differential in BW between the Jersey and Holstein breeds reduced the body mass of the Jersey population by 125×103 t. Consequently, the population energy requirement was reduced by 7,177×106MJ, water use by 252×109 L, and cropland use by 97.5×103 ha per 500,000 t of cheese yield. Nitrogen and phosphorus excretion were reduced by 17,234 and 1,492 t, respectively, through the use of Jersey milk to yield 500,000 t of Cheddar cheese. The carbon footprint was reduced by 1,662×103 t of CO2-equivalents per 500,000 t of cheese in Jersey cows compared with Holsteins. Use of recombinant bovine somatotropin reduced resource use and waste output in supplemented populations, with decreases in carbon footprint equivalent to 10.0% (Jersey) and 7.5% (Holstein) compared with nonsupplemented populations. The interaction between milk nutrient density and BW demonstrated by the Jersey population overcame the reduced daily milk yield, thus reducing resource use and environmental impact. This reduction was achieved through 2 mechanisms: diluting population maintenance overhead through improved milk nutrient density and reducing maintenance overhead through a reduction in productive and nonproductive body mass within the population.

An analytical strategy for identification of a somatotropin‐like bioactive peptide by ion trap liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry after immuno‐affinity purification from buffalo serum

The use of growth hormones, such as native and recombinant somatotropins, is forbidden in the European Union (EU), but is legal in the USA. The misuse of recombinant bovine somatotropin in Italy is suspected for enhancing milk production, thanks to its availability on the illegal market. A synthetic bioactive peptide of 27 amino acids derived from bovine somatotropin was successfully tested in France and in southern Italy for scientific purposes, to stimulate milk production, both in cows and buffaloes. This somatotropin-like peptide (PEP-ST), suspected for illegal use in southern Italy, was synthesized by linking the 104-113 sequence of bovine somatotropin to the 323-339 sequence of ovalbumin. Herein, a method for detection and identification of the PEP-ST in buffalo serum is described; our strategy was based on the production of IgG anti-PEP-ST, used to synthesize an immuno-affinity column for peptide purification from buffalo serum, prior to analysis by ion trap liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS). The immuno-affinity column was successfully used to purify in a single step the bioactive PEP-ST from buffalo serum samples spiked at 20, 50 and 200 microg/mL for confirmatory analysis. Ion trap LC/ESI-MS/MS identification was based on detection of a multi-charged molecular ion and its characteristic fragmentation pattern. No significant matrix interference was observed, accounting for method specificity. We consider this strategy to be a basic approach that could be improved in the perspective of the official control of illegal use of somatotropin and somatotropin-like compounds in buffalo breeding.

Programa hormonal associado ao desmame temporário, na indução de ovulação em vacas de corte durante o pós-parto

Este experimento foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar a eficiência de tratamentos hormonais, associados ao desmame temporário, na indução de ovulação após o parto, em fêmeas de corte criadas extensivamente. Foram utilizadas 143 vacas (Hereford e cruzas Hereford x Nelore), pluríparas, entre 50 e 70 dias após o parto, com condição corporal (CC) 2 e 3 (1-5). O grupo SEMED (somatotropina, estradiol, medroxiprogesterona, gonadotrofina e desmame) foi constituído por 50 vacas, as quais receberam (dia 0) 500mg de somatotropina bovina recombinante (bST-r), 5mg de benzoato de estradiol e um pessário intravaginal contendo 250mg de acetato de medróxiprogesterona (MAP) e, seis dias após, (dia 6) 500UI de gonadotrofina coriônica eqüina (eCG). No momento da retirada dos pessários (dia 7), os terneiros foram separados totalmente das vacas por 96h. No grupo EMED (estradiol, medroxiprogesterona, gonadotrofina e desmame), constituído de 48 vacas, adotou-se um tratamento semelhante ao do grupo anterior, diferindo apenas na não utilização da somatotrofina. No grupo CONTROLE, 43 vacas foram unicamente separadas dos seus filhos por 96h. Logo após a retirada dos pessários vaginais e de realizado o aparte dos terneiros, as vacas foram colocadas em um piquete com touros (1:10). Após 53 dias, foi realizado o diagnóstico de gestação por palpação retal e ultra-sonografia, para detectar as vacas que conceberam no estro subseqüente aos tratamentos. Obtiveram-se índices de prenhez de 11,1% , 38,0% e 56,2% respectivamente, para os grupos CONTROLE, SEMED e EMED, cujas diferenças foram significativas (p<0,0001) entre os grupos. No grupo SEMED, a CC das vacas interferiu no tratamento, pois foi observada superioridade (p < 0,01) nos índices de prenhez de vacas com CC 3 quando comparadas com vacas em CC 2. Essa diferença não foi verificada nos demais grupos. Os resultados também demonstraram que os tratamentos agiram de maneira diferenciada em vacas com CC 2, com percentuais de prenhez de 12,5, 32,2 e 55,5%, respectivamente, para os grupos CONTROLE, SEMED e EMED (SEMED vs CONTROLE = p<0,01; SEMED vs EMED = p<0,01; CONTROLE vs EMED = p<0,0001). Os índices de prenhez das vacas com CC 3 foram 10,5 , 50,0 e 55,0%, respectivamente, para os grupos CONTROLE, SEMED e EMED e indicaram diferença (p<0,0001) entre os dois grupos e o grupo controle. Os resultados evidenciaram que o tratamento sem a utilização da bST-r, dispensado ao grupo EMED, pode ser adotado com sucesso tanto em vacas em CC 2 como em vacas em CC 3, diferindo do tratamento adotado no grupo SEMED, o qual mostrou-se eficiente somente em vacas com CC 3.

Modeling Milk Production and Labor Efficiencyin Modernized Wisconsin Dairy Herds

The 1999 Wisconsin Dairy Modernization Project was conducted to examine variation in milk production and labor efficiency among herds that had recently expanded. Data were obtained from a sample of Wisconsin herds that expanded between 1994 and 1998. Using rolling herd average milk production in 1998 as the dependent variable in the milk production model, milking frequency, bovine somatotropin use, sprinkler use, average linear somatic cell score, average age at first calving, average days dry, and rolling herd average milk production in 1994 predicted 69% of the variation in milk production. Milking three times daily, using bovine somatotropin, using sprinklers to cool cows, and decreasing linear somatic cell score, age at first calving, and days dry were associated with increased milk production. Each of these variables supports previous research from designed experiments with on-farm results. Variation in milk production is determined primarily by differences in management ability and management practices employed by the dairy producer. Using cows per full-time equivalent as the dependent variable in the labor efficiency model, acres per cow, number of people involved in the milking operation, milking system type, herd size, and interactions between milking system types and herd size predicted approximately 43% of the variation in labor efficiency. As expected, labor efficiency increased with larger herd sizes, fewer acres per cow, and fewer people involved in the milking process. Parallel milking parlors were associated with the highest cows per full-time equivalent followed by herringbone parlors, flat barns, and stall barns.

Manipulation of milk production and quality by use of somatotropin in dairy ruminants other than cow

The ability of recombinant bovine somatotropin (BST) to enhance milk production is well established in cows and in other dairy ruminants. In dairy ewes, we found increased milk yield (20–30%) following treatment with BST, which did not negatively affect the gross composition or coagulating properties of milk, except in the advanced stage of lactation, when the percentages of milk protein and fat were reduced and the coagulation time was improved (shorter) compared with untreated animals. In dairy goats, administration of BST increased overall milk yield by 14–29%. Our studies and those of others on the Italian river buffalo showed that BST treatment increased milk yield by about 17%, or more, when associated with dietary protected fat, without affecting milk protein content. In general, studies on dairy ruminants show that treatment with BST increases milk production in the short term (immediate postinjection period) and that there is also a medium to long term effect on persistency of lactation. There is evidence that mammary gland involution can be at least partially reversed by BST administration, and this could be due to limitation in the decrease in mammary parenchyma as lactation progresses and/or to modulation of the plasmin-plasminogen system.

Adoption of a Politicized Technology: bST and Wisconsin Dairy Farmers

AbstractTechnologies that are the focus of extensive public debate prior to commercialization may have diffusion paths which are distinct from the classic sigmoid shape often used by economists. Descriptive and econometric analysis of ex ante and ex post data on bovine somatotropin use by Wisconsin dairy farmers reveal that this controversial technology has a relatively low adoption rate and little prospect for adoption growth in the near future. Further research on potential adoption outcomes for technologies that are politicized prior to commercialization could improve economists' predictive capacities.

The Potential Economic Impacts of Bovine Somatotropin Use on Regional and State Economies in Virginia

This study indicates that the overall economies of both Virginia and Rockingham County, Virginia, can expect reduced total industrial output, personal income, property income, total income, value added, and jobs from increased milk production and decreased consumption attributed to the adoption of bST by dairy farms. The authors use a marginal exogenization approach that allows specific examination of the distribution of impacts among the various sectors due to the impacts of the technological change for both a large and a small geographical region. The results of this study provide guidance to policy makers as they develop plans to ease the transition of technological change.

The Environmental Impact of Bovine Somatotropin Use in Dairy Cattle

AbstractThe environmental impact of bovine somatotropin (bST) use in dairy cattle (Bos taurus) was analyzed with the following assumptions: base herd (1989) of 10.1 × 106 cows, milk production 6475 kg of 3.5% fat per 305 d; bST herd of 8.96 × 106 cows, 3.8 kg/d increase during 215 d treatment period; 100% adoption rate, 60 d dry period, 40% replacement rate; all formulated diets from: alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay, corn (Zea mays L.) silage, cracked corn, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] meal, and supplement to satisfy level of production. Using these assumptions, the analysis indicates that the current U.S. milk supply could be produced by 11% fewer cows fed 9% less feed produced on 6% less land, and soil loss would be 5% less. Fossil fuel requirements would be 6% less and irrigation water use would be reduced by 9%. Output of the greenhouse gas methane would be decreased 9%; manure production and outputs of N and P declined by 10, 8, and 10%, respectively.

Economic Implications of Bovine Somatotropin Use for the Arizona Dairy Industry

This study examined the impacts of bST on income of dairy producers in Arizona. The nature of milk production in Arizona, the institutional aspects of the Milk Order, and the supply management program of the United Dairymen of Arizona (the only milk cooperative in Arizona) were considered in the model. Prices declined with increased milk yields from bST. Three dairy enterprise budgets demonstrated that gross revenue minus variable costs initially increased for adopters of bST but declined for nonadopters. If government milk purchase increases cause support price reductions, gross revenues less variable costs would decrease for both adopters and nonadopters but more for nonadopters. Adjustments in size of dairy farms would be required if increased milk production due to bST is large enough to result in decreases in milk price support levels.

Economics of Using Bovine Somatotropin in Dairy Cows and Potential Impact on the US Dairy Industry

Budgets with a microcomputer spreadsheet were developed to evaluate the economics of bovine somatotropin use and to estimate the impact on US dairy cow numbers. Income over feed and variable costs increased with somatotropin use and low feed prices. With high feed prices, income responses were less favorable, and when combined with low milk prices, somatotropin use resulted in less income than from control cows. Price of somatotropin did not have a major effect on production costs. The number of cows needed to meet US milk requirements is primarily influenced by per capita consumption and production per cow. With continuing yearly increases in per capita consumption of 2kg of milk equivalent and cow milk yields of 114kg, the number of milk cows needed through 1992 remains at the 1987 figure of approximately 10.3million. In the scenario of a 15% increase in milk yield due to somatotropin, 20% of cows receiving the hormone, and cows receiving the hormone being 10% above the national average of all cows; the number needed in 1992 is 9.77million, or a drop of 5.4% from 1987. Somatotropin use will have a less drastic effect on cow numbers than originally predicted.

Economics of Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin Use in Individual Dairy Herds

DairyORACLE, a computer simulation model of a dairy enterprise, was used to simulate the productivity of nine commercial herds following the hypothetical adoption of routine use of recombinant bovine somatotropin. Data, including performance indicators, management goals, and demographic information were collected from each herd, and simulation exercises performed to assess the likely economic impact of somatotropin use in each case.Existing mathematical expressions for lactation and DM intake used in the model were adjusted to reflect production characteristics of cows treated with somatotropin. Comparison of model output for each herd with and without somatotropin use provided a means for quantifying changes in milk production and feed utilization attributable to somatotropin.Point estimates for percentage increase in annual herd milk sales varied between 8.5 and 17.6% (10.3mg/d) and 17.0 and 32.0% (20.6mg/d). Corresponding point estimates for increase in whole farm forage consumption were .6 to 10.5% (10.3mg/ d), and 3.1 to 20.8% (20.6mg/d). Depending on parity, production, and dose, grain requirements were estimated to increase by 10.2 to 39.0%. Using a net price of $23.10/100kg for milk sold, estimates for the break-even cost per dose ranged between $.27 and $.64 (10.3mg/d) and $.61 and $1.12 (20.6mg/d). A sensitivity analysis was performed to provide estimates of break-even cost per dose for net milk prices ranging between $16.50 and $27.50/100kg.