cl@lgc.com (Cameron Laird) (04/26/91)
In article <eesnyder.672629020@beagle> eesnyder@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Eric E. Snyder) writes: . . . >>I would like to have any reaction or any information about >>bovine somatropin that can be provided to me by the nets. > >An interesting topic for discussion.... > >This seems like a case of a great product with no market. Perhaps >someone can inject a few facts here but, it is my impression that >a hormone capable of stimulating milk production is the last thing >the American dairy industry needs. For all the government subsidies, >the tons of milk purchased annually by the Agriculture Dept. to support >prices, bovine somatotropin is a biotechnology product that was poorly >conceived. I think the health issues raised are trivial; more attention >should be given to economic necessity (or lack thereof) of the hormone. > >Comments? . . . One aspect of this debate that has been neglected is how marginal the practical consequences are likely to be, at least with the regimes I've heard described. Farmers are marvelously efficient now (well, at some things). BST increases production per cow, WHEN part of a larger management program that includes more feed per cow. Yes, BST increases the milk/feed ratio, but not as dramatically as the gross production boosts often reported. There are costs (daily? injections, ...) associated with BST. My conclusion: some operators will find it advantageous, some less so, and more resources will be spent discussing the issue than gained or lost directly applying it. . . . which might not be a bad thing. I agree with your instincts in turning attention to the economics rather than the biology of BST. This touches on a lot of subjects close to my heart, but I'll summarize briefly: BST isn't "needed"; however, I like living in a society which encourages folks to seek out better (OK, different) ways of doing things. To put it crudely, I know I don't need SPARCstations, paper-clips, representative government, sonnets, or paper bags, but I feel happier in this world for them. I have a bias toward the opportunity for innovation. -- Cameron Laird +1 713-579-4613 cl@lgc.com (cl%lgc.com@uunet.uu.net) +1 713-996-8546