Germany: Hemp as animal feed can affect the health of cows and their milk

Commercial hemp is currently experiencing a revival due to its many applications. Commercial hemp varieties contain only small amounts of psychoactive (intoxicating) cannabinoids, which include Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). A team of researchers led by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has now investigated the consequences of feeding hemp silage to dairy cows. Silage is animal feed preserved by fermentation. The results of the study, published in the journal Nature Food, is that if the hemp silage contained a comparatively high concentration of cannabinoids, the animals' behavior changed and their health was impaired. Breathing and heartbeat slowed down. The cows became sleepy, unsteady, ate less and gave less milk. "Our study also shows that even a small addition of hemp silage to the daily ration of dairy cows leads to the detection of cannabinoids in the milk, including Δ9-THC," says ...