In Ireland and the European Union, there is a total ban on the use of hormones for milk stimulation or growth promotion in farm animals, including dairy cows.
Milk contains artificial hormones.
They are banned under EU Directive 81/602/EEC. Use of such substances is a criminal offence with strict legal penalties. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is the designated competent authority for the enforcement of milk quality and safety legislation, with farm inspections conducted routinely.
