The collagen market is massive, and one of its fastest-growing segments is grass-fed collagen.
But what is grass-fed collagen?
Simply put, it refers to collagen sourced from cattle that have been primarily fed a natural, grass-based diet. This type of collagen is often preferred by health-conscious consumers and those concerned with animal welfare. Grass-fed collagen is known for its clean sourcing, high-quality protein content, and potential health benefits.
In this article, we’ll explore what grass-fed collagen is made from, answer popular questions such as “What are the benefits of grass-fed collagen?” and “How to choose the best grass-fed collagen?” and dive into the latest market data and trends.
What is Grass-Fed Collagen Made From?
What does grass-fed collagen mean? It refers to collagen sourced from cattle that have been raised primarily on a grass-based diet, rather than conventional grain feed. This distinction matters to consumers who prioritize animal welfare, sustainability, and clean-label sourcing.
So, what is grass-fed collagen made from? It’s typically derived from the hides of these grass-fed cattle after they’ve been processed for beef. The hides are rich in collagen, making them an ideal raw material. Collagen itself is not very digestible, so the article of commerce is called collagen peptides, in which the collagen is treated with enzymes to break it down into smaller, more easily absorbed and digested fragments. This process is called hydrolysis, and you may see collagen peptides referred to alternatively as hydrolyzed collagen.
But why is this type of collagen considered superior to that from grain-fed sources? Read on to explore the benefits.
The Natural Pasture Connection
Grass-fed cattle consume a diet composed mostly—or entirely—of grass and are generally allowed to roam freely in open pastures. This access to a natural environment and a variety of grasses and clover aligns with how cattle have historically foraged, resulting in leaner and healthier animals.1The difference between grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Piedmont. Retrieved June 11, 2025 from https://www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/the-difference-between-grass-fed-and-grain-fed-beef. Feeding grain to cattle is a relatively recent practice developed to accelerate weight gain.
Ethical Sourcing and Animal Welfare
Grain-fed cattle typically start life on pasture, drinking milk from their mothers and grazing for about 7–9 months. However, they are soon moved to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), where they are confined and fed a high-calorie, grain-based diet to induce rapid weight gain. This results in animals that are significantly heavier than they would be in nature.2Gunnars K. Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef—What’s the Difference. Healthline. December 4, 2019. Retrieved June 11, 2025 from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/grass-fed-vs-grain-fed-beef. In contrast, grass-fed cattle remain in a more natural environment throughout their lives.3The difference between grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Piedmont. Retrieved June 11, 2025 from https://www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/the-difference-between-grass-fed-and-grain-fed-beef.
Most of us would agree that grass-feeding cattle constitutes a far more ethical approach to the welfare of these animals than grain-feeding them.
What Are the Benefits of Grass-Fed Collagen Supplements?
Beyond supporting animal welfare through grass-feeding practices, there are numerous benefits of grass-fed collagen for those who use it as a dietary supplement. These include high bioavailability and properties that help the body to utilize the supplement efficiently as a source for its own collagen production.
Additional benefits may include support for joint and bone health, the promotion of a healthy gut, and enhancements to skin elasticity and hair strength—all of which contribute to overall wellness and healthy aging.
Bioavailability & Collagen-Stimulating
Human studies4Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S, Proksch E. Dietary Supplementation with Specific Collagen Peptides Has a Body Mass Index-Dependent Beneficial Effect on Cellulite Morphology. J Med Food. 2015 Dec;18(12):1340-8. have shown that grass-fed collagen peptides are highly bioavailable, meaning they are efficiently absorbed and utilized by the body. In addition to being easily absorbed, grass-fed collagen has been demonstrated5Proksch E, Schunck M, Zague V, Segger D, Degwert J, Oesser S. Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(3):113-9. to support and stimulate the body’s natural collagen production, boosting pro-collagen levels by up to 65% and increasing elastin, a key skin-supporting protein, by 18%. These effects contribute to improved skin elasticity, firmness, and overall structural integrity.
Joint and Bone Support
Other research on grass-fed collagen peptides have indicated that supplementation helped promote healthy joints, including range of motion, joint comfort and even muscle strength6Lopes AP, Selingardi AE, Vicentin G, Lopes JC, Bagatela BS. GelcoPEP bioactive peptides play an important role on joint diseases: a 28-day observational study. Unpublished. n.d. 8 pgs., as well as supporting healthy bone density in postmenopausal women.7König D, Oesser S, Scharla S, Zdzieblik D, Gollhofer A. Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women-A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2018 Jan 16;10(1):97. doi: 10.3390/nu10010097. PMID: 29337906; PMCID: PMC5793325.
Gut Health Support
Other research8Abrahams M, O’Grady R, Prawitt J. Effect of a Daily Collagen Peptide Supplement on Digestive Symptoms in Healthy Women: 2-Phase Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Form Res. 2022;6(5):e36339. Published 2022 May 31. doi:10.2196/36339 has shown that these collagen peptides helped to reduce bloating and improve mild digestive symptoms in otherwise healthy female adults.
Skin and Hair Health
In additional human research9Proksch E, Schunck M, Zague V, Segger D, Degwert J, Oesser S. Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(3):113-9. 10Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47-55. 11Proksch E, Schunck M, Zague V, Segger D, Degwert J, Oesser S. Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(3):113-9. 12Oesser S. The oral intake of specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides has a positive effect on hair thickness. Nutrafoods (2020) 1:134-138., grass-fed collagen in peptide form was able to significantly reduce the appearance of wrinkles and significantly improve skin elasticity and moisture. It was also able to significantly reduce cellulite, as well as significantly increase hair thickness.
How to Choose the Best Grass-Fed Collagen Supplement
If you’re a brand owner looking to select the best grass-fed collagen for your supplement, it’s essential to evaluate the supplier’s reputation, ingredient purity, transparency, collagen type, and potential for additional synergistic ingredients. Below are several key factors to consider:
Look for a Reputable Brand
Choose a collagen supplier known for producing peptides with high bioavailability and backed by human clinical research. Collaborating with an experienced collagen supplement manufacturer can help you identify reliable options aligned with your product goals.
Purity and Transparency
Select a collagen peptide supplier that offers full sourcing transparency and provides thorough documentation verifying purity standards. High-quality collagen peptides should mix clearly in water, as cloudiness may indicate inferior quality or the presence of impurities. Please note that if the collagen peptides have been formulated with flavors, sweeteners or other active ingredients, the clarity or color of the solution will vary.
Collagen Type and Form
Identify the collagen type that best suits your intended health claims. Types I and III support skin, tendons, and bones, and are usually what you will find labeled as collagen peptides or hydrolyzed collagen; Type II is typically derived from chicken sternum and is ideal for cartilage and joint maintenance. Given the standard dosage range of 2.5 to 10 grams, a grass-fed collagen powder is usually the most practical for consumer use.
Additional Ingredients
Enhance your formulation by including complementary nutraceuticals. For skin health, consider astaxanthin or hyaluronic acid. For joint or bone support, vitamin K2 or cucumber extract are excellent additions. For gut health, adding prebiotics, probiotics, or postbiotics may improve product efficacy and appeal.
Grass-Fed Collagen Supplement Latest Market Scope and Trends
According to Fact.MR13Grass-fed Collagen Market. Fact.MR. Retrieved September 24, 2024 from https://www.factmr.com/report/grass-fed-collagen-market., global sales of grass-fed collagen reached $113.1 million in 2022 and are projected to grow to $279.6 million by 2033, reflecting a strong compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%. This represents more than a twofold increase in market size over the next decade.
The rising popularity of grass-fed collagen supplements is driven by growing consumer awareness of their health benefits and the preference for products derived from pasture-raised animals.
From a strategic standpoint, incorporating a grass-fed collagen supplement into your product line is a smart move, both to meet consumer demand and to capitalize on a rapidly expanding market segment.
Concluding Thoughts
Grass-fed collagen supplements represent a rapidly growing segment of the collagen market, driven by increased consumer awareness around animal welfare, product transparency, and health benefits. Sourced from pasture-raised cattle, grass-fed collagen offers a cleaner, more ethically aligned option that resonates with today’s health-conscious and environmentally aware consumers.
Scientifically backed benefits, such as improved bioavailability, support for joint and skin health, and enhanced gut function, further strengthen its appeal. With the market projected to more than double by 2033, adding a grass-fed collagen supplement to your product line is not only timely but makes sense strategically.
To ensure product quality and market success, brand owners should prioritize reputable collagen sources, transparent sourcing, and thoughtful formulation, including synergistic ingredients where applicable. As the demand for premium, ethically sourced supplements continues to rise, grass-fed collagen stands out as both a consumer-driven trend and a compelling opportunity for growth.
For more information on how Vitaquest can help you custom manufacture best-in-class grass-fed collagen supplements, call 800-526-9095 to speak with one of our knowledgeable sales executives or request a nutraceutical manufacturing price quote if you’ve already finalized your project requirements!
Frequently Asked Questions About Grass-Fed Collagen Supplements
What is grass-fed collagen?
Grass-fed collagen refers to collagen sourced from cattle that have been grass-fed rather than grain-fed. Grass-fed cattle are able to roam the pasture eating grass, rather than confined to stalls as is the case with grain-fed cattle. Grass-fed cattle are leaner and healthier than those that are grain-fed, which can often be obese.
How do you take grass-fed collagen?
Typically, grass-fed collagen is taken once daily in the form of absorbable peptides or hydrolysates, which is mixed with water or another beverage. Collagen can even be mixed with your morning coffee or in a protein drink. Generally, grass-fed collagen powder is packaged in bottles, canisters, gusset bags, or in stick packs.
How much grass-fed collagen per day?
The recommended daily dose of grass-fed collagen depends on the form used. For grass-fed collagen peptides (which offer superior bioavailability) 2.5 to 5 grams per day is often sufficient to see results.
Always consult with your supplement manufacturer or healthcare provider to determine the most appropriate dosage based on your formulation and health goals.
What are 3 benefits grass-fed collagen?
Three benefits of grass-fed collagen include joint and bone support, gut health support, and skin health support. Research has shown that grass-fed collagen promotes joint range of motion, joint comfort and muscle strength, as well as supporting healthy bone density. It’s also been shown to reduce bloating and improve mild digestive symptoms. Studies have also demonstrated that it was able to reduce wrinkles and significantly improve skin elasticity and moisture.
Is grass-fed collagen good for hair?
Yes. A human study was conducted showing that grass-fed collagen peptide was able to significantly increase hair thickness at the low dose of 2.5 grams daily
Why is grass-fed collagen better?
Grass-fed collagen is considered better for several reasons. First, it’s increasingly popular, with global sales projected to more than double over the next decade. Second, consumers are becoming more aware of the various health benefits it offers, including support for skin, joint, and gut health.
Additionally, many people prefer grass-fed collagen because it is sourced from pasture-raised animals, which aligns with growing interest in animal welfare and sustainable sourcing practices. This ethical appeal adds value for health-conscious and environmentally aware consumers.
