Animal Welfare
Starboard Bio is passionate about our products coming from New Zealand’s top quality, grass fed, free ranging animals.
Grass Fed vs. Grain Fed
Sheep and cattle are ruminant animals, anatomically designed to thrive on a natural, pasture-based diet. Their digestive systems are built to ferment and utilise grasses—not grains.
Grain-fed livestock are typically raised in intensive feedlot systems, where animals are fed high-energy corn or soy-based rations that differ significantly from their natural diet. These systems often rely on growth hormones to accelerate weight gain and may use antibiotics to manage health risks associated with crowded, less sanitary and artificial environments.
By contrast, grass-fed animals offer substantial advantages in both animal welfare and nutritional composition. Animals raised on open pasture have access to fresh forage, cleaner environments, and a diet aligned with their biology. This results in products that naturally contain higher levels of beneficial nutrients.
Grass-fed meat and co-products have been shown to contain significantly higher Omega-3 fatty acid levels—often up to five times more than grain-fed equivalents. Omega-3s are essential for maintaining overall health and play an important role in supporting normal cardiovascular and cognitive function.
* Source: Beef and Lamb NZ
Starboard Bio’s products are sourced only from grass fed animals
Free Range on Great Grass
Starboard Bio’s products are sourced from free range animals
The key farming ingredients of clean air, sunshine and good water all combine to produce healthy animals without the need for continuous antibiotics, hormones or growth stimulants.
This helps avoid diseases associated with housing animals in close confinement for extended periods and improves both the health and the welfare of the animals.
Grass-fed animals also have significant health benefits over their grain-fed counterparts and contain higher levels of essential vitamins and minerals.
Our donor animals are never fed any genetically engineered materials.
Process Accreditation
Our New Zealand based plant, and the plants we source our products from are overseen by independent veterinarians who are charged with ensuring animal health and welfare as well as production standards, traceability and regulatory compliance.
