Equivalent levels of all casein and whey proteins, fatty acids, cholesterol and calcium are found. Some studies have shown a positive relationship between BST and incidence of mastitis, however, when the data is corrected for increased milk yield associated with BST use, the relationship appears to disappear. The use of rBST for dairy cows was legalized in the United States in February 1994. Approval for rBST use in Canada is currently under review. Every truck load of milk is screened for antibiotic residues at the dairy processing plant.
Any milk contaminated with residues is discarded.
The continuous surveillance virtually guarantees consumers milk free of antibiotic residues. The selling of milk free of antibiotic residues is extremely important because a small percentage of the population have allergies to drugs such as penicillin and sulfa- drugs. A great deal of frustration was expressed by DFC delegates last week over the media coverage of the results of the GATT negotiations last December. Dairy, poultry and egg farmers operating under supply management were accused unjustly for everything from inefficiencies at the farm gate level to being the cause of high prices for their goods at the retail level. Prompt corrections of the inaccuracies reported about supply management and the industry as a whole, will be necessary over the coming months in order to continue to set the record straight and balance the picture that has been painted of the industry by media.