Progesterone

The corpus luteum’s signature steroid hormone, orchestrating the reproductive cycle in female mammals. Livestock producers have exploited related progestins in slow-release implants to push weight gain and feed efficiency, but the European Union forbids such hormonal growth promotion, and illicit use still surfaces in enforcement testing. Residue surveillance in meat and milk, backed by sensitive analytical methods, underpins the ban. The compound also has legitimate veterinary uses in reproductive management, which are regulated separately from growth-promotion applications. Milk and tissue testing programs verify that no residues reach consumers from treated animals.