The profit margins of the dairy industry relies heavily upon environmental

variables.  The occurrence of disease, climate, and cattle raising technique

directly effects milk production in cows.  Faced with such dilemmas as disease,

farmers and modern science has developed new ways to ensure productive milk

production seasons.  One such method is the administration of Bovine

Somatotropin.

	Bovine Somatotropin, or BST, is an synthetic version of a naturally

occurring hormone that, when given to cows late in their lactation, can boost

milk production.  The levels of BST in the cows blood stream naturally rises

after calving.  The further application of BST after natural levels begin to

drop extends the period of high milk production levels and results in profit

for the milk industry.  Profits can nearly inflate to nearly five dollars per

week per cow.  

	Mastitis is a devastating udder disease characterized by the inflammation

of the lining of the udder.  The level of infection of the udder is determined

by somatic cell count, or SCC.  It is a count of the leukocytes in a given

sample of milk, and a high SCC is an indication of a high level of infection. 

Mastitis is the clinical condition that develops from udder infection, and

animals that have it exhibit sluggishness, fever, and loss of appetite. 

Animals that have clinical mastitis must be treated with moderate doses of

antibiotics over a two-week period.  During this time, the milk they produce

must be thrown out due to the fact that it is contaminated with antibiotic

residue.  This is why mastitis costs dairy farmers over $2.5 billion annually. 

The cost of a two-week treatment is around $250.00-$300.00.  

	Many farmers decline from the use of BST because of the possible side

effects of the hormone on the cows.  The increased strain on each animal of

producing excessive amounts of milk can cause fatigue and susceptibility to

disease, specifically mastitis.  If the use of Bovine Somatotropin, in an

attempt to raise profits, led to increase in the somatic cell count of cows

treated with the hormone, then any profit gained through its use would be

negated by the cost of treating mastitis.  The study hopes to determine if the

use of BST leads to increases in the somatic cell count in Jersey cows.