Oxytocin update for practicing veterinarians

Abstract

From the limited amount of research conducted to date, it appears that injection of moderate doses of oxytocin at each milking will increase milk production. However, there are many unanswered questions about the use of oxytocin in this manner. Perhaps the most important issue is the question of human safety of dairy products potentially containing oxytocin. Until more information on oxytocin is generated and FDA approval for oxytocin use as a production aid is given, it should only be prescribed and used according to its therapeutic intent.

Presented at the Dairy Herd Health Programming Conference, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, June 6-7, 1990.