The Science Behind Grass-fed Colostrum: Is it better than Corn-fed Bovine Products?

If you follow health supplements online, you must have noticed bovine milk and cartilage supplements popping up everywhere since the pandemic. It can be perceived as the latest fad — or is it? 

One of the most prominent products in the market now is the grass-fed colostrum that comes out of cows bred and brought up in a wholly natural and non-artificial manner. Many people believe the grass-fed way of livestock farming is way better than the traditional corn-fed version. And not all of them are old-timers or traditionalists. 

We cannot deny that animal milk has always been a great source of nutrition for adults ever since the dawn of civilization. It is easily obtainable in almost any livable setting, and it is, beyond doubt, rich in calcium and other important nutrients that help strengthen the body and promote growth and healing. (may play a role)

However, colostrum milk that comes from grass-fed bovine is on another level altogether. Why do some claim it to be superior to corn-fed milk? Today, we will get into the scientific nits and grits of this.

What is Colostrum Milk

All female mammals produce some form of milk from their breasts. But some of them, like cows and humans, produce a very special kind of breast milk right after the birth of a baby. To be exact, it isn’t technically milk yet, but a milky fluid that helps the newborn survive and gives it the first growth kick. This is called colostrum milk, nature’s first superfood gift to one who is newly dropped amidst all this chaos. 

Bovine colostrum is known to be rich in nutrients, and even more than standard milk is. It has a pretty big store of the three main foods (macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrate) and is laced generously with minerals such as calcium and magnesium. The list of vitamins in grass-fed colostrum runs on till they run out of the alphabet, especially vitamins A, C, and E. 

But that’s not all. Remember that protection and growth boost we talked about? That comes from some very specific protein compounds in colostrum. The list of nutrients in grass-fed colostrum includes the following: 

• Antibodies: More scientifically known as immunoglobulins, they help your immune system fight and kill off any external microbial threats that manage to get into your body. Bovine colostrum is full of immunoglobulins, mostly IgA, IgG, and IgM. Without the help of these, the baby cow may die of an infection within the first two days. When applied to humans, these compounds are known to provide extra buttressing to your immunity system. 

• Growth hormones: these insulin-like polypeptides trigger cell development and blood circulation, helping the body grow quickly as long as it has enough nutrition to support that (in the case of babies, the colostrum milk itself takes care of that). Grass-fed colostrum has two specific growth factors embedded, IGF 1 and 2. They support brain and somatic cell development and are known to promote longevity. (Source)

• Lactoferrin: this very special protein, quite hard to find in nature otherwise, works with the immunity system to fight viruses and bacteria trying to take over your body's cells. It is known to work well against acne, help delay or decrease osteoporosis, and (you’ve probably guessed from the name) may bankroll the regulation of iron in the blood. 

Now, let’s get into how best to source them. 

Grass-Fed vs. Corn-Fed: What’s the Difference?

Moving on, we’ve come to the crux of the matter: how can you make sure that the cow can provide the best kind of colostrum milk without injecting her with a ton of chemicals that could show up in the product, too?

The answer is simple: feed it like it evolved to feed. With fresh grass. In a pasture, under the open sky. As nature intended. 

When a company labels its bovine products like beef, milk, organic collagen powder, tracheal cartilage supplement, etc., with the term “grass-fed” or “pasture-raised,” that means their source animals have been raised as close to natural settings as possible. It means they have eaten fresh pasture grass and small plants while growing up and throughout their lifetime. It’s hard to define a better natural food than that for a ruminating mammal. 

This demonstrably results in a healthy animal that gets plenty of air, sun, and exercise, not to mention a very balanced diet, too. As common sense would suggest, the products we get from such a specimen would also be exemplary. But before we explore this further, let’s explore a vital question. 

Why Corn-fed Bovine Brings Up Questions

You may have been wondering about this for some time now. If grass-fed bovines are so good at generating better-quality milk and beef, why would they use corn (or soya, or whatever other hybrid grains they use these days)? Are the farmers not thinking straight? 

Indeed they are! What you have to understand is that industrialists want to choose what is easy over what is right. Livestock farming has long become industrial thanks to the sheer amount of animal food required to feed the gigantic population, and that runs on efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Pastures have given way to factory farms. 

It’s hard to find a pasture big enough to feed a thousand cows but not so hard to grow the corn required to feed the same number. Corn is easy to harvest, carry, process, and dispense in modern factory farms. 

But corn or similar feeds bring in their own problem: they aren’t good enough for the health and growth of the target animal. Also, in factory farms where these are used as a necessity, the animals never get any exercise or airing. 

The result often is unhealthy growth, malnutrition, and infections — all of which have to be mercilessly taken care of using artificially produced chemical antibiotics and other meds if you want to make any good profit at all. 

And thus when you’re consuming a product coming from such animals, a part of that evil is transferred into you, physically and metaphorically. In effect, from corn-fed bovine, you get undernourished and nutritionally unbalanced with meat, milk, and other products. These would almost definitely contain some of the chems that had been injected into them before. Why on earth would you want to sample a quart of a witch’s brew of random chemicals used to fight off god-knows-whatever diseases the cow caught at the dirty, smelly, congested factory farm?

Nutritional Benefits of Grass-Fed Colostrum

While the exact science behind it is still argumentative, and a lot of research is going on the subject, there is definitely some stuff that various studies have shown to be positive about grass-fed bovine colostrum. Here’s a brief: 

Omega-3 and CLA Content: Research suggests cows grazing on lush pastures may produce colostrum with a higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than those primarily fed corn. These beneficial compounds are recognized for their potential to support heart health, reduce inflammation, and aid in weight management.*

Fatty Acid Profile: Grass-fed colostrum often exhibits a more favorable omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids ratio. This healthier balance may contribute to positive health outcomes, especially in promoting cardiovascular and metabolic well-being in some populations.*

Antioxidants and Vitamins: Studies have indicated that colostrum from grass-fed cows may be richer in essential vitamins, such as vitamins A and E, as well as antioxidants. These nutrients may play a vital role in maintaining a robust immune system and overall health.

Health Benefits of Grass-Fed Colostrum

We wouldn’t want to consume a supplement that’s not efficient in providing health benefits, and on that front, colostrum milk produced from pasture-fed bovine runs long. Here are some points to consider: 

• Potent Immune System Support: As discussed before, colostrum milk has IgE, IgG, and IgM that help your immune system fight off intrusive microbes. If that is sourced from grass-fed cows, it’s known to have more concentration of those. 

• Better Gut Health: It’s also more affluent in the lactoferrin content, which is known to promote digestion and help support a better intestinal microbiome. The growth hormones also help clean up the food you intake, making your assimilation less open to infections. 

• Reduced Inflammation: The fatty acids discussed above, especially Omega-3 and Omega-6, are suitable for cardiovascular health and aid in pain and discomfort. Corn-fed sourced colostrum can be demonstrably ineffectual at helping with systemic inflammation. 

One with Nature: Environment and Ethics

First of all, producing grass is way more sustainable than producing corn. Grass is, after all, a natural crop that isn’t forced on a piece of land. The natural pastures not only rely on the local environment to thrive, but they also don’t ask for artificial sowing and thousands of gallons of extra water that corn and soya do. 

Then there’s animal welfare to consider. What would you prefer, your cows grazing on a green pasture under the bright, clear sun or penned in dark, congested, dirty, smelly boxes on a factory farm? Would you want them to be naturally strong enough not to contract diseases, or would you want them dosed up to their eyeballs with antibiotics and hormonal serums to fend off the unhealthy atmosphere inside their little boxes? Would you like their muscles and body matter to develop naturally or with steroids? 

Corn-fed factory farming systems are not even a question for one who has any love for animals. 

Transparency and Traceability 

The best thing about this is all of the above are verifiable. I’m not only talking about the science part, which is supported by multiple studies and well-informed scientific theories. (New ones are coming out regularly as well). No, I’m also talking about verifying the production part - the part the brand claims and plays. 

There are strict organic standards in place for raising cattle in a natural, sustainable way. Only a few companies can get such a certification. A bottle of colostrum powder with this certification label will have sourced the product from grass-fed, pasture-raised healthy bovine.

Not only the rearing of the cows but the collection and processing of the product matter a lot as well. Grass-fed colostrum is best collected naturally and is best processed under low or no heat. This ensures that the high concentration of the bioactive components in the products remains strong and that some of the more fragile proteins do not break down. 

Pure organic colostrum collected from grass-fed cows should not have unnecessary additives. Fillers, preservatives, taste enhancers, etc., all are detrimental to the efficacy of grass-fed organic colostrum and thus should be avoided. 

When choosing such a product that may just be the key to bringing you out of the slump or giving your body and mind that extra edge over time and deficiency, you must choose one that comes clean about its origin. Brands that transparently talk about their colostrum source, collection, and production process, that which can be traced by authority, are naturally way more reliable than those that don’t. Of course, this is true about anything you put inside your body. 

Grass-fed Colostrum Powder FTW

With modern studies and data, there is no doubt that a bottle of grass-fed colostrum is way more desirable than other, most mass-produced chemical supplements. This is especially true for growing children, aging adults, or those who are suffering from wounds or debilitating diseases. It offers superior nutrition and health benefits and is definitely better for the environment. 

And for you. Why not make smoothies, tea, or oatmeal with some proper grass-fed colostrum milk and enjoy getting better? Slowly, but surely.

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Writer: Swarna Karmakar
Word count: 1933
FK Readability: 55.9/10.1
Plagiarism & AI: 2%