Irish Made Whey Protein - Explained

What Country Makes the Best Grassfed Whey?

Ireland produces the best-grassfed dairy including whey protein for six reasons -

1. Ireland has the best grass-fed climate (temperature & humidity).
2. Ireland has the most consistent & plentiful rain.
3. Ireland has the cleanest coastal air on the planet.
4. Ireland has the best alkaline soil for growing lush, nutrient green pastures that don't require chemical rebalancing.
5. Ireland uses the best grass-fed dairy cattle (Friesian & Jersey crosses)
6. Ireland’s national Food Board, called Bord Bia, has the best Grass Fed Standard approved by INAB (Ireland’s Accreditation Board) as of November 2019. Below is a short video by Origin Green, who represents the sustainability faction of Bord Bia. 

  

The Perfect Grass-Fed Dairy Climate

Ireland’s climate provides the perfect conditions to grow grass and with incredible consistency. Ireland boasts mild winters and summers, with little variance year to year, and made beautiful feeling all the time via the perennial gulf stream and consistent rainfall.

With the temperatures typically ranging from 40⁰–50⁰F in winter and 60⁰–70⁰F in summer, the cows have the freedom to graze outdoors for most of the year comfortably; On average, > 320 days per year dictated mostly by inclement weather more so than temperatures. 

What Type of Grass Supports the Irish Grass-Fed Dairy Industry?

The perennial rye-grass (“Lolium Perenne”) endemic to south Ireland, albeit slowly, continues to grow even at 0°C ( 32°F). In comparison, optimal grass growth rates begin closer to 5°C (41°F) and warmer. 

Irish rye-grass grows all year during all seasons.  

Consistent Rainfall

Ireland’s plentiful precipitation is one of its most valuable natural resources as far as dairy cows are concerned.

A GREENER Nutrition (AGN) sources exclusively from Sustainable Farms.

Thanks to the country's geographical location and the mild climate, our farms do not require mechanical irrigation. No irrigation equipment translates into no energy exhausted by our farms to water the pastures.

With climate change impacting water supplies and rain patterns worldwide, our farms are among only a handful of farms on the planet that don't require unnaturally pumping water from elsewhere to keep the earth hydrated in times of drought.

In the South East region of the island, January kicks each year off with ~ 27 inches of rainfall. As summer approaches, this rate slowly decreases to the year lows of an average of 22 inches of rain before picking back up to increased levels of 25 inches in time for the end of year holidays.

Clean Whey Protein Powder Isolate

Ireland is not only known for fresh, clean air; it is one of the lowest emitters of carbon in the world.

By sourcing our whey from Truly GrassꞏFed™ pastured farms, the carbon footprint is minimal and works towards our missions with both A Greener World (non-profit organization) & Origin Green (the sustainability function of Bord Bia).

Learn More: Truly GrassꞏFed™ Farms

Are Grassfed Dairy Farms Good for the Environment?

Absolutely. Our cows live and graze outside where they thrive, eliminating the need for wasteful energy spent on fans or air conditioning.

Furthermore, these immense grasslands convert vast amounts of CO2 into oxygen every day, cleaning the air naturally and positively impacting our environment.

Ireland's Alkaline Soil Grass-Fed Advantage

Limestone soils are one of Ireland’s most significant assets, and they are the foundation for an honest and consistent grass-fed diet. Lime is a natural neutralizing agent, and it is massively beneficial to grass growth, keeping the pH from getting too acidic.

Even the most premium grass-fed whey products available can’t compete with Ireland’s alkaline soil. The natural limestone soils allow the naturally high precipitation to feed the grasslands without the pH dropping.

Dairy farms in the U.S.A that are predominantly considered “grass-fed” are found in the Eastern, Southeastern, and the Pacific Northwest parts of the country, where the annual rainfall is sufficient to grow enough grass to support their herds.

However, the soil makeup in the majority of states known in the USA for their grassfed dairy products like California and Wisconsin is highly acidic, especially after heavy rain.

The same rain that makes it possible to sustain a grass-fed diet for these farms also leaches away the alkaline elements of the earth over time, yielding a grass system built upon naturally acidic soil.

Is Grass-fed Whey from Ireland or California Better?

Irish whey is better in many aspects than whey sourced from California. Ireland produces the best grass-fed dairy in the world due to a myriad factors.

In contrast, California is hard-pressed to make our top 5 list of Best Grass-fed Dairy producers in the world due to the variable climate and acidic soils. 

Note: Countries worth noting for producing great grass-fed dairy products include:

• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Germany
• Japan 

Acidic soil forces the farmer’s hand to add nutrients to correct the pH balance manually. These chemicals lead to inconsistent deposits of alkaline elements and, in turn, variants in the grass makeup, not to mention the energy exhausted (carbon footprint) on the execution of this mechanical irrigation.

When farmers intervene after heavy rain and support their grasses with alkaline chemicals, it comes at a price. This price is paid by the consumer in terms of unintentional heavy metals making their way into your whey!

AGN Roots Grassfed Whey contains the lowest heavy metal concentrations in the industry because there are zero chemicals used in the processing of our grass-fed whey isolate and, most importantly, no chemicals used on the land. 

Learn More: Whey Protein & Heavy Metals

#1 Ranked Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate

Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle for excellent reason > 80% of the countryside is thick green grasslands. The yearly grass growth rate rivals the best on the planet.

The Irish grasses exceed the European average by more than 33%. Our farms specifically cultivate the grass varieties that optimize nutrition and the ease of digestion (such as the addition of clover).

It’s no wonder why our grassfed whey leads the industry in concentrations of the following:

• BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids)
• Cysteine (Glutathione Precursor)
• Glutathione
• Lactoferrin
• Whey Protein Macro-Nutrients Profile

Learn More: AGN Roots Amino Acid Profile
Learn More: Cysteine Explained
Learn More: Glutathione Explained
Learn More: Lactoferrin Explained
Learn More: Whey Protein Macro-Nutrients

References

[1] Hurtado-Uria, Cristina, et al. “Relationships between Meteorological Data and Grass Growth over Time in the South of Ireland.” Taylor & Francis, 2013, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00750778.2013.865364. DOI:10.1080/00750778.2013.865364

[2] O’Callaghan, Tom & Hennessy, Deirdre & Mcauliffe, Stephen & Sheehan, J. & Kilcawley, Kieran & Dillon, Pat & Ross, R.P. & Stanton, Catherine. (2018). The effect of cow feeding system on the composition and quality of milk and dairy products.