Cathy,

Lactation in cows is not natural.  A cow's milk supply is not responding to
its calf or calves but rather to a milking machine. Calves in the dairy
industry (not talking about the small family farm) are separated from their
mothers and bucket fed--although they do get their mother's colostrum (and
the belief in the dairy industry is the sooner the better the health outcome
for the calf).  And, I guess in some ways this artificial environment is
similiar to an American hospital where babies are separated from their
mothers and given their mother's milk obtained from a breast pump.  And maybe
this tells us about one of the risks of an artificial environment that
separates mothers and infants--a higher risk of mastitis.

I am not sure I understand your sceptism about this particular hormone (rBST)
causing a 15% rise in mastitis.  But, let me explain that I have read various
percentages--as low as 15% to as high as 50% depending on what research you
happen to read.  The product insert for Prosilac (the rBST from Monsanto)
mentions that one of the side effects of this hormone given to dairy cows can
be increased mastitis.  In testimony before the Canadian government, John
Verrell, Chairman of the Farm and Feed Society of the United Kingdom believes
that there is a 40% increase in mastitis.  He relates data from Monsanto
employees which mention a 35% increase in mastitis in pooled data from 14
herds.  An epidemologist from the University of Copenhagen, Professor
Willeberg, relates a 15-45% excess of mastitis in dairy cows injected with
rBST.
To read testimony:
http://www.sierraclub.ca/nation/genetic/bgh-11-17-98.html

From the Canadian web sites I looked at there is a belief among some experts
that rBST has a more direct relationship to mastitis than just merely
overproduction and statis.  rBST mastitis is harder to treat than
physiological mastitis, the duration of treatment is longer due to a higher
incidence of infection with staphlococcus and the legal drugs dairy farmers
have to use for mastitis are relatively ineffective.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/archives/08-apr.htm

Now, I was merely speculating about how this kind of milk would effect a
lactating woman.  There are no studies as far as I know.  I just think it
curious that now I seem to be hearing from other LC's on this list about more
cases of mastitis--chronic mastitis that is difficult to treat.  It sounds
similiar to what is going on in the dairy industry.  But it may have nothing
to do with it.  It would be great to have a study done on it...
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

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