The absence of growth-inducing hormones or antibiotics in New Zealand cattle has led to New Zealand Whey Protein being one of the highest quality whey protein products available.
The New Zealand Dairy Industry is perhaps the most advanced dairy producer in the world, and this is reflected in their very high standards for product safety, environmental sustainability, and humane treatment of livestock.
" New Zealand is the world leader in grazing production systems "
One of the reasons for this high regard is that New Zealand dairies are held to some of the most stringent standards in the world. In New Zealand, the Dairy and Plant Products Group (a division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry-MAF) provides assurance to consumers, both domestic and international, that New Zealand's dairy products are safe and true to label. And, the government mandates that all dairy products must be free of antibiotics, chemical residues and hormones (rBST is illegal in New Zealand). Grazing practices, the treatment of cattle, collection and storage methods, and processing all affect the quality of whey protein. When choosing a whey protein supplement, it is important to keep these points in mind.
Pasture fed cattle are exposed to a wide variety of soil-based pathogens, which means they will naturally develop more antibodies. Healthy green grass also provides Vitamins, Minerals, and beneficial enzymes (aiding in its assimilation). Intensively managed, year-round pastures in New Zealand furnish nearly 100% of herd feed requirements, so the cows need little or no supplemental grain. In New Zealand-style grazing systems, the animals are rotated frequently to fresh, small pastures and produce more milk per acre. A 1993 survey determined that greater than 40% of United States dairy heifer calves had serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations of less than 10 mg/ml. The Journal of Dairy Sciences reports, "U.S. society will soon demand that agriculture back off, at least to some extent, from confinement and pay greater attention to agricultural animal comfort and happiness."
In New Zealand, dairy farmers use high-quality rye grass and white clover pasture virtually year round.
The use of antibiotics is illegal in the New Zealand dairy industry. The MAF requires a screening test for antibiotic residues, while in the US, antibiotic use is widely practiced on dairy farms. Most US dairy farms store antibiotics on the premises to treat cows that are about to give birth. The Dairy Science and Technology division of the University of Guelph reports, "the presence of antibiotic residues in milk products is very problematic for at least three reasons;
- In the production of fermented milks, antibiotic
residues can slow or destroy the growth of the
fermentation bacteria.
- From a human health point of view, some people are
allergic to specific antibiotics, and their presence in
food consumed can have severe consequences.
- Frequent exposure to low level antibiotics can cause
microorganisms to become resistant to them, through
mutation, so that they are ineffective when needed
to fight a human infection. For these reasons, it is
extremely important that milk from cows being treated
with antibiotics is withheld from the milk supply."
We'll go even further. While certain antibiotics can be
extremely helpful in combating short-term bacterial
infection, their long-term ingestion, even in small
amounts can actually weaken human immune systems.
Also, antibiotics destroy beneficial bacteria or probiotics
in the human digestive tract which are critically
important for overall digestive health, including the
assimilation of food and micronutrients such as vitamins
and minerals.
Dairy management systems in New Zealand prohibit
the use of hormones. In the US, hormones like rbST
(recombinant bovine somatotropin) are used to
stimulate growth and milk production. Research
shows that higher producing cows are more likely to
have lower concentrations of IgG in their colostrum
at calving.
The sale of milk from cows treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is also
approved in the US. Recent studies find that milk
quality may actually be degraded somewhat as a
result of the increased incidence of mastitis associated
with the use of rBGH/rbST. In several countries, milk
quality is measured by somatic cell counts (SCC).
SCC are significantly elevated in the milk of rBGH/rbST-treated
cows. Milk with a high SCC tends to spoil faster than milk
with lower SCC. Also, a decline in nutritional quality and
protein content has been observed in the early stages of
supplementation with rBGH/rbST. Dairy products coming
from the US are also linked to allergies, constipation,
obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.
In New Zealand, farmers may be fined up to $100,000 for
infractions against regulations, including the presence
of hormones, antibiotics or pesticides. According to the
US Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, "No penalty is
imposed on the producer.
or distributor upon the first violation of any of the sanitation requirements." Additional
infractions are considered misdemeanors and no fines are
imposed.