Bovine somatotropin, or BST for short, is a hormone that is naturally produced in cows. The hormone is responsible for helping the cows to grow, develop muscles, and produce milk. However, scientists have found a way to create even more BST in cows to help them grow bigger and produce more milk.
Think of BST like the water that helps a plant grow. The more water a plant gets, the bigger it grows. In the same way, the more BST a cow has, the bigger it will grow and the more milk it will produce.
When cows are given extra BST, it can also help them use their food more efficiently. This means that they can make more milk from the same amount of food they would have eaten before.
Some people think that giving cows extra BST is a good thing, because it can help farmers make more money from the milk they produce. Others are worried that it could be harmful to human health or to the welfare of the cows. As a result, the use of BST is regulated in some countries, like the United States, and banned in some others, like Canada and the European Union.