ITHACA, N.Y., July 3 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have discovered that cows receiving recombinant Bovine Somatotropin, or rbST, supplement produce more milk.
Cornel University researchers say rbST was the first biotech product to be used on American farms and has been in agricultural use for nearly 15 years. Now the scientists have found giving rbST to 1 million cows would enable the same amount of milk to be produced using 157,000 fewer cows. The nutrient savings would be 491,000 metric tons of corn, 158,000 metric tons of soybeans and total feedstuffs would be reduced by 2.3 million metric tons.