Hormones that stimulate dairy production, such as bovine somatotrophine, are allowed in the United States, but not in Canada.
Health Canada has actually refused to approve it for use in Canada based on the recommendations of a veterinary scientific committee. The committee considered the use of somatotrophine to be hazardous to the health of the animals.
Québec milk producers were also some of the first to speak out against its approval in the 90s.
Milk sold to consumers must be free of antibiotics. Producers sometimes have to use antibiotics, but only when prescribed by a veterinarian. The milk of treated cows is then thrown out.
In order to ensure that there is no trace of medication in the milk, samples are taken at farms for quality control analyses. In addition, each load is tested before it is unloaded at the plant. If traces of antibiotics are detected, the milk is destroyed.
