Oxytocin is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland. It is naturally produced in an expectant mother for two purposes. On one hand it promotes lactation, while it helps in contracting the uterine muscles after child birth to check loss of blood. It was artificially manufactured to save mothers from post-pregnancy complications. A section of scientific literature says that children born to mothers exposed to high level of artificial oxytocin may suffer with birth defects and low resistance levels. In individual cases, oxytocin is said to have inhibited breast feeding.
Certain experts however refute the claims. It is said that oxytocin was a protein that was naturally flushed out of the body if taken through the oral route. "Since oxytocin doesn't absorb through the oral route it is always given through intra venous or nasal route," . "The good and bad effect of oxytocin on humans administered through the oral route is being debated world over," .Artificial oxytocin was placed in Schedule H of the Drug and Cosmetics Act and can be sold on prescription only. It was banned in India for use on animals. Though the price of generic oxytocin being manufactured and marketed by reputed companies is around Rs 20, it is claimed to be readily available in black - the cost of a single ampoule being less than a rupee. "No matter how illiterate the milk man is, he knows what oxytocin is," remarked an animal activist. Also, oxytocin being used by certain milk men is different from what pharma companies manufacture commercially. "Dairymen cannot use the normal oxytocin as it is available only on prescription basis. So they bank on illegal source. And one has all the reasons to doubt if they were manufactured correctly or not," said a government veterinary officer.
In cows or buffaloes, the flow of milk is stimulated by the calf's nuzzling, since dairy men kill the calf or else separate it from the mother, they inject the cow with oxytocin to stimulate uterine contractions and allow for easy flow of milk. Veterinary experts revealed that oxytocin was a slow poison for the bovine. "Oxytocin does not increase the amount of milk but merely makes it flow faster. It causes the equivalent of labor pains in the cow twice a day and destroys her reproductive system prematurely. She grows sterile in four years and is then abandoned onto the street or else slaughtered."
Certain experts however refute the claims. It is said that oxytocin was a protein that was naturally flushed out of the body if taken through the oral route. "Since oxytocin doesn't absorb through the oral route it is always given through intra venous or nasal route," . "The good and bad effect of oxytocin on humans administered through the oral route is being debated world over," .Artificial oxytocin was placed in Schedule H of the Drug and Cosmetics Act and can be sold on prescription only. It was banned in India for use on animals. Though the price of generic oxytocin being manufactured and marketed by reputed companies is around Rs 20, it is claimed to be readily available in black - the cost of a single ampoule being less than a rupee. "No matter how illiterate the milk man is, he knows what oxytocin is," remarked an animal activist. Also, oxytocin being used by certain milk men is different from what pharma companies manufacture commercially. "Dairymen cannot use the normal oxytocin as it is available only on prescription basis. So they bank on illegal source. And one has all the reasons to doubt if they were manufactured correctly or not," said a government veterinary officer.
In cows or buffaloes, the flow of milk is stimulated by the calf's nuzzling, since dairy men kill the calf or else separate it from the mother, they inject the cow with oxytocin to stimulate uterine contractions and allow for easy flow of milk. Veterinary experts revealed that oxytocin was a slow poison for the bovine. "Oxytocin does not increase the amount of milk but merely makes it flow faster. It causes the equivalent of labor pains in the cow twice a day and destroys her reproductive system prematurely. She grows sterile in four years and is then abandoned onto the street or else slaughtered."
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