Most people associate slaughterhouses with meat production. Few realise they are also part of a global supply chain serving scientific research.

Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is made from the blood of unborn calves after their mothers are killed during pregnancy. It is a foundational ingredient in scientific research and development worldwide - yet its production remains largely invisible, and its impacts on animals are rarely scrutinised.

This is the story of FBS in New Zealand, and why it matters:

FBS is a hidden cornerstone of modern science

Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is a growth supplement commonly used in laboratories to help cells grow and stay alive for research, testing, and teaching purposes.  

It is made from the blood of unborn calves and sold internationally as a laboratory product.

It has become very common - almost a default ingredient in cell culture work, including:

• studying human diseases
• discovering new medicines
• producing vaccines and cell therapies
• freezing and storing cells for future experiments

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FBS is produced through foetal calf blooding

FBS is produced through a process known as foetal calf blooding.

In simple terms:

• A pregnant cow is sent to slaughter as part of standard farming practices
• After the cow is killed, the calf foetus is removed
• Blood is then collected from the calf via cardiac puncture, which involves inserting a needle directly into the heart

This process happens inside slaughter facilities, away from the public eye, and most people are unaware it is connected to science.

The collected blood is then centrifuged (spun at high speed) to separate out the serum. This serum is what is sold and used as foetal bovine serum (FBS) in laboratories.

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FBS is used at a global, industrial scale

FBS is not a niche product.

Globally, around 800,000 litres of FBS are produced every year. Because only a small amount comes from each calf, that volume likely represents the deaths of around one to two million unborn calves worldwide annually.

The exact number varies depending on foetal size and age, but the scale highlights just how embedded FBS is in global science.

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FBS is produced in New Zealand

This is not just an overseas issue.

In New Zealand, pregnant cows are sent to slaughter and blood from their unborn calves is collected and processed to produce FBS. That serum is:

• used in some New Zealand labs ‍
• exported internationally

Based on publicly available information, BAR has identified, to date, at least nine establishments in New Zealand that manufacture FBS. There could be many more revealed, as our investigation continues.

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FBS is a valuable export commodity

There is no requirement for companies to report domestic FBS sales, but export data gives insight into scale.

Between January and November 2025, New Zealand exported around 29,000 kilograms of FBS.  

Based on industry estimates, this amount of serum is likely to have come from the blood of tens of thousands of unborn calves - conservatively between around 28,000 and 83,000 foetuses in 2025 alone.

Foetal bovine serum is not a minor by-product - it is part of a significant commercial market.

The combined Australia–New Zealand FBS market was estimated at US$26 million in 2023, with projections rising to nearly US$32 million by 2027.  

This commercial value helps explain why production continues despite growing ethical and scientific concerns.

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New Zealand FBS is marketed as a premium product

New Zealand FBS is often marketed as high quality because:

• our geographic isolation
• strong biosecurity systems
• low incidence of certain cattle diseases

This reputation makes NZ FBS desirable to buyers overseas, even though it is the same product as any other FBS.

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FBS is part of a much larger animal blood products industry

Foetal bovine serum is just one of many animal-derived blood products made in NZ and used in scientific research, testing, and teaching.  

Serums are produced from animals at different life stages and from a range of species.

Examples include:

Cattle-derived serums

• Newborn Calf Serum (NCS)
• Calf Serum (CS)
• Yearling Calf Serum (YCS)
• Adult Bovine Serum (ABS)
• Donor Bovine Serum (DBS)
• Donor Calf Serum

Serums derived from other species

• Porcine (pig) serum
• Ovine (sheep) serum
• Equine (horse) serum
• Caprine (goat) serum
• Donor Horse Serum (DHS)
• Donor Sheep Serum
• Donor Goat Serum

Together, these products make up a large and largely unseen global industry supplying laboratories worldwide.

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But FBS is a preferred option to other animal blood products

FBS is widely used because the blood of an unborn calf has only been exposed to the mother’s blood via the placenta. This means foetal blood is low in antibodies and microorganisms, making it particularly effective at supporting cell growth in laboratory cultures.

Over time, this has made FBS the default option in many areas of science - even though animal-free alternatives now exist and can perform as well, or better, in many settings.

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FBS creates ethical and scientific problems

There are many concerns with FBS – beyond the obvious ethical ones including:  ‍

1. ‍FBS is inconsistent: Because each animal is different, FBS varies from batch to batch, which can make scientific results inconsistent or hard to reproduce. ‍
2. FBS can carry contamination: As a blood-based product, FBS can transport contaminants such as viruses or bacterial toxins - even when it’s processed carefully. ‍
3. FBS is expensive and unstable: Global demand is rising while supply is limited, pushing up prices and making lab supply chains less reliable. ‍
4. FBS Rules are changing: When research moves into real medical products, regulators increasingly expect animal-free methods because they can be safer and more consistent.

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Animal-free alternatives to FBS already exist

Animal-free, serum-free alternatives now exist that can replace FBS in many research and teaching settings. These alternatives:

• avoid the killing of unborn animals
• deliver more consistent results
• lower contamination risk
• align better with modern science and ethics

One such alternative is FRS Pioneer, an animal-free, serum-free replacement developed by Dr Katie Bashant Day, Chief Scientist at Media City Scientific.

The exciting news is that BAR is working with Dr Katie to bring this alternative to NZ!

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NZ has an opportunity to lead the transition away from FBS

BAR is working now with New Zealand research and teaching institutes to support the first practical trials of FRS Pioneer, an effective alternative to FBS, right here in Aotearoa.

This pilot aims to:

• show what it really looks like for labs to switch
• document what works well and what challenges arise
• build local evidence that this innovative alternative can succeed in NZ research
• help more institutions access and use animal-free methods

The long-term goal is to help make the routine use and production of FBS in New Zealand unnecessary and therefore obsolete.

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How you can help

This groundbreaking work - getting real NZ labs to trial alternatives in real settings - depends on public support.  

Donations help pay for:

• the alternative products themselves
• the logistics of importing and distributing them
• support for researchers during trials

By giving, you’re not just supporting a study - you’re helping:

• reduce (with the aim of ultimately replacing) the killing of unborn animals
• improve scientific reliability
• push NZ research toward a more ethical future that moves beyond using animals  

This is an exciting opportunity where ethical progress and better science align - and where real change for animals and science is genuinely within reach.

DONATE NOW!

For readers who want to go deeper

For readers who want a more technical, in-depth explanation of foetal bovine serum - including how it’s used, why it persists, and how alternatives compare - we recommend this detailed Q&A written by Dr Katie Bashant Day, Chief Scientist at Media City Scientific: What is Foetal Bovine Serum? A scientific deep dive.