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What are Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs)?

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What are Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs)?

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An HGP is any veterinary medicine containing either natural or synthetic hormones sold to increase muscle tone, growth rate, weight gain or feed efficiency of animals. The HGPs are supplements that naturally occur in all cattle. The most common hormones given to growing cattle are androgens and estrogens. This due to them both being exogenous which means they must come from the outside of the system. The growth-promoting hormones help improve protein deposition, growth rate of cattle and feed efficiency.

Pros of using HGPs include reducing the age of turnoff, improving your profits through increased productivity and efficiency and improving weight gain, frame size and mature weight.

Cons of HGPs often involve reducing selling and marketing options, and possible changes in cattle behaviours and appearance. When implanted, this has a negative effect on the Meat Standard Assessment.

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Where HGPs are implanted in a cows ear. Sourced from https://extension.umn.edu/beef-news

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The common hormones, e.g, oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone are compressed or contained into silicone powder implants. These small pellets are implanted under the skin in the animal’s ear between the skin and the cartilage on the backside of the ear. The implants release the hormone compound over time into the bloodstream. Once the animal is slaughtered, the implanted ear is discarded. So there is no chance that an implant could enter the food supply chain.

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To safeguard the international meat trade in New Zealand, the use of HGPs is tightly regulated. HGPs are widely used and seen as safe in several areas, including the USA and Australia. HGPs, however, are prohibited in China, the EU, and other nations because they are viewed as artificial additions. In order to prevent meat from animals with implants from being exported to markets where HGPs are prohibited, the usage of HGPs must be monitored and managed.

Here in New Zealand, only a trained veternairian is autherised to adminster the implant. There is also a HGP Regulated Control Scheme (RCS). Under this scheme, the treated cattle must have, an HGP idendification ear tag, a National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT)-approved RFID tag that is registered in the NAIT online system, and they must also have their movements recoreded and tracked up until they are killed.

It is MPI's policy that consumers should be provided with labelling information where there is a demonstrated food saftey risk, so they can make informed choices about the food they eat MPI doesn't consider that approved HGPs have any demonstrable food risks.

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Negative Social & Economical Implications 

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Negative Social & Economical Implications 

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After scientific research was commissioned by the European Union, it was determined that six hormones used to increase cow growth may be harmful to consumers.
The naturally occurring hormone 17β-oestradiol is a complete carcinogen with the potential to cause tumours, according to the independent scientists who conducted the research and whose findings have since been forwarded to officials in the United States and Canada. According to a statement released by the European Commission, there is an inherent risk of cancer even with small residues of this hormone, and the existing data does not permit a quantitative assessment of the risk.

Progesterone, testosterone, zeranol, trenbolone, and inelengestrol are the other five hormones for which the scientists deemed the data currently available insufficient for a quantitative evaluation. They also maintained that none of the six growth promoters could have threshold values established for them. Nonetheless, they did caution that prepubertal children were the most vulnerable of all the risk groups.
From organisations:

The Sustainable Business Network is critical of HGPs, focusing on the environmental impact of their use. They argue that while HGPs can increase production efficiency, they might contribute to intensive farming practices that exacerbate environmental challenges such as soil degradation and water use. The SBN advocates for more sustainable agricultural practices that consider long-term environmental impacts.

The Royal New Zealand SPCA raises concerns about the welfare of animals treated with HGPs. They argue that the accelerated growth promoted by HGPs can lead to health issues in animals, such as joint problems and metabolic disorders. The SPCA calls for more attention to animal welfare standards and emphasizes that animal well-being should be a priority in farming practices.

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Positive Social & Economical Implications 

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Positive Social & Economical Implications 

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Hormonal growth promotants (HGPs) in the meat industry offer significant positive social and economic benefits. Economically, HGPs enhance the efficiency of meat production by accelerating growth rates and improving feed conversion ratios, which lowers production costs and helps stabilize meat prices for consumers. This efficiency can lead to more affordable meat products, making protein-rich diets accessible to a broader population. Socially, the increased productivity enables farmers to meet the growing global demand for meat, supporting livelihoods and contributing to food security. Additionally, HGPs can foster economic stability in rural communities by sustaining jobs and supporting local businesses linked to meat production and distribution. Overall, the use of HGPs can play a crucial role in making meat production more sustainable and economically viable.

From organisations:

The NZMIA supports the use of HGPs, citing their benefits in improving production efficiency and meeting market demands. They argue that HGPs contribute to the competitiveness of New Zealand’s meat industry by helping farmers produce meat more cost-effectively. The NZMIA also highlights that HGPs are used responsibly under strict regulations to ensure consumer safety.

The MPI supports the controlled use of HGPs in livestock, emphasizing that they are regulated to ensure safety for both animals and consumers. The MPI states that HGPs used in New Zealand meet stringent safety standards, and their use is thoroughly monitored to prevent any adverse effects. They argue that HGPs help improve the efficiency of meat production, which can contribute to the overall sustainability of the industry. As part of MPI, New Zealand Food Safety provides assurances about the safety of meat products from animals treated with HGPs. They emphasize that all HGPs used in New Zealand are approved after rigorous assessments, and there are strict residue limits to ensure that any potential hormone residues are well below levels that could pose a risk to human health.

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HGPs mainly come in two forms: anabolic steroids and hormone-like substances. Anabolic steroids, such as testosterone or its derivatives, promote muscle growth and reduce fat accumulation by binding to androgen receptors in muscle cells. This interaction enhances protein synthesis and muscle development while minimizing fat storage. On the other hand, hormone-like substances, such as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), mimic the effects of natural growth hormones produced by the pituitary gland. rBST stimulates growth by increasing the rate at which the animal converts feed into muscle and milk.

At the cellular level, HGPs influence crucial processes such as protein synthesis and cell division. Anabolic steroids lead to an increase in both the number and size of muscle fibres, enhancing muscle mass. Similarly, growth hormones like rBST promote muscle cell proliferation and boost muscle protein synthesis. This cellular stimulation results in faster growth rates and more efficient weight gain.

Additionally, HGPs improve nutrient utilization by enhancing feed conversion ratios. This means animals grow faster and require less feed to gain the same weight, ultimately lowering production costs. The efficiency of HGPs makes meat production more cost-effective and reduces the environmental impact associated with feed production. Overall, the use of HGPs in livestock helps in achieving more efficient and sustainable meat production.

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Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs) can be beneficial to the meat industry in New Zealand, but only if their use is well controlled. Improved growth rates and feed efficiency are two advantages of HGPs that can greatly increase production efficiency and aid in meeting the rising demand for meat. In turn, this helps the industry's financial stability and may lower the price of beef products for consumers.

However, in order to address potential health, environmental, and animal welfare problems, the use of HGPs must be accompanied by strict restrictions. Ensuring that hormone residues in meat and milk stay under safe limits is crucial for safeguarding consumer health, and this requires strict monitoring and enforcement of safety standards. To prevent any negative environmental effects from intensive farming practices, strict laws need also be in place, guaranteeing that sustainability will always come first.

Animal welfare must also be given careful thought, with safeguards in place to make sure that HGPs don't cause suffering or other health problems for cattle. Sustaining high animal welfare standards can be facilitated by public reporting and regular assessments of the effects of HGPs on animal welfare.

In conclusion, even though HGPs can have a lot of benefits, their usage in New Zealand needs to be carefully regulated and managed to strike a balance between those benefits and the requirements for animal welfare, safety, and environmental preservation. This strategy can protect environmental and public health while assisting in maximising the benefits of HGPs.