Fetal bovine serum (FBS) has long served as a foundational input for cell culture, tissue engineering, and biomanufacturing. Yet, a looming supply challenge threatens this critical resource. As a byproduct of the global beef industry, FBS availability is closely tied to cattle production trends—and those trends are increasingly troubling.
Persistent drought conditions across major cattle-producing regions, coupled with rising feed and fuel costs, have led ranchers to reduce herd sizes and delay restocking. In the United States, beef output in 2025 is projected to decline by approximately 4–5% compared to the previous year (USDA ERS, 2024). National cattle inventory has already dropped to its lowest point since 1951 (American Farm Bureau Federation, 2024). Because FBS is collected from bovine fetuses during slaughter, fewer animals directly translate into reduced serum availability.
These supply pressures are compounded by intensifying global demand for biologics, vaccine production, and cell-based therapies. As a result, experts estimate that even small shifts in slaughter rates could reduce FBS production by 30–50% (BioProcess International, 2024). Prices have surged accordingly, and the path ahead points to further volatility.
Climate extremes, especially persistent drought across major cattle-producing regions, have forced ranchers to cull breeding stock and delay herd expansion (American Farm Bureau Federation, 2024). Recent wildfires and other environmental stresses have also reduced cattle numbers, compounding the effects of FBS drought.
Tom Kutrubes
Meanwhile, economic pressures such as high feed and fuel costs have made cattle rearing more expensive, prompting some producers to exit or downsize operations. After successive years of herd reductions, producers are now attempting to rebuild herds by retaining more heifers for breeding rather than sending them to slaughter. This rebuilding effort, while critical for the long-term beef industry, reduces short-term slaughter rates, directly cutting into the supply of fetal calves from which FBS is derived.
Finally, supply chain consolidations in the serum industry may be exacerbating the issue; a few large processors control a majority of FBS production, meaning any disruption or decision at those firms can significantly affect overall availability. The net result of these factors is a tighter FBS market with constrained supply and escalating prices—a situation expected to persist for the next few years.
One immediate strategy for biotech laboratories and manufacturers is to expand and diversify FBS sourcing geographically. Many U.S. labs have traditionally relied on domestically sourced serum, but in today’s climate, this narrow approach is a vulnerability.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) permits imports of FBS from several approved countries that meet strict animal health and safety standards. Eligible sources include regions in Central America, Mexico, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others. All FBS imported into the U.S. undergoes extensive safety screening, including sterile filtration and tests for bovine viruses per 9 CFR regulations, to ensure it is as safe as U.S.-origin material (USDA APHIS, 2024). Importantly, serum origin has no inherent impact on quality or cell culture performance when it meets these standards. If one country’s supply tightens or prices spike, alternative sources can fill the gap.
Another key mitigation strategy is to forge strong, long-term agreements with serum suppliers. Not all FBS suppliers have the same level of supply chain control. Those that maintain direct relationships with slaughterhouses (abattoirs) and that operate vertically-integrated collection and processing pipelines tend to have more stable output and inventory.
Persistent drought conditions across major cattle-producing regions, coupled with rising feed and fuel costs, have led ranchers to reduce herd sizes and delay restocking [Cstar55/Getty Images]
Biotech companies should seek out suppliers with such integrated supply chains or even consider partnering directly with abattoirs to ensure a reliable flow of serum. Establishing multi-year supply contracts or reserve agreements can lock in future FBS volumes and pricing. This not only guarantees a baseline supply even if the market tightens further, but also helps labs avoid the worst of price volatility (BioProcess International, 2024).
During the last major serum market cycle, some FBS providers and their clients managed to buffer the impact by signing supply agreements that guaranteed availability through the shortage period. Similar long-term partnerships today can ensure that when FBS supplies are scarce, contracted customers receive priority allocations.
Given the volatility in the FBS market, laboratories and manufacturers should also implement proactive inventory management to weather supply disruptions. FBS is a uniquely storable biological product—when kept frozen, it remains stable for up to five years from the date of manufacture (European Serum Products Association, 2023). This long shelf life enables labs to buy and stockpile serum in larger quantities than immediately needed, as a hedge against future scarcities.
Many experienced researchers plan FBS purchases to cover the entire expected duration of a project or production campaign, thereby avoiding mid-stream lot changes or shortages. Purchasing in bulk during periods of relative abundance (or before anticipated price increases) can lock in costs and ensure consistency of experimental results by limiting lot-to-lot variability.
In the longer term, reducing dependence on FBS through alternative culture media is an important strategic direction. FBS has long been the gold standard supplement for cell culture due to its rich growth factor content and universal compatibility, but it is not the only option.
Researchers have been actively developing and adopting serum-free or chemically defined media that can support certain cell lines without the need for FBS. In some cases, switching to a defined medium can eliminate FBS usage entirely, thereby sidestepping the supply and cost issues associated with it.
It is worth noting that, despite advances in serum-free formulations, FBS remains the most versatile and widely used growth supplement in life science labs today. Many legacy cell lines and protocols are deeply tied to FBS. Thus, a pragmatic approach is to gradually evaluate alternatives: critical processes can be tested with serum-free media in parallel, or new projects can start with serum-free systems if feasible, thereby incrementally decreasing future reliance on FBS.
The current FBS shortage is a wake-up call that the lifeblood of cell culture—quite literally—cannot be taken for granted. A shrinking cattle herd and other macro forces have tightened the FBS supply chain to a degree not seen in decades. Proactive, industry-wide action is required to prevent this constraint from stalling scientific progress.
By treating FBS supply as a strategic priority and risk-managing it with the same rigor as any critical raw material, the industry can adapt to the new normal of limited serum availability. Those organizations that plan ahead—expanding their supplier base, locking in contracts, and exploring new media technologies—will be best positioned to continue their research and production uninterrupted.
In an era of booming demand for biomedical solutions, ensuring a stable FBS supply chain is about cost control, as well as safeguarding the continuity of innovation in life sciences. With data-driven planning and collaborative effort, the biotechnology community can weather the FBS drought and sustain growth in the face of this challenge.
Tom Kutrubes is executive director of SeraPrime.
American Farm Bureau Federation. (2024). Cattle herd trends and market conditions. https://www.fb.org/newsroom/u-s-cattle-inventory-hits-lowest-level-since-1951
BioProcess International. (2024). Rising demand and falling supply squeeze FBS market. https://bioprocessintl.com/bioproce...ne-serum-prices-skyrocket-as-supply-tightens/
Corning Life Sciences. (n.d.). Serum-Free and Specialty Media Guide. https://www.corning.com/catalog/cls/documents/serum-free-media-selection-guide.pdf
European Serum Products Association. (2023). Fetal bovine serum: Ethical sourcing and quality control. https://www.serumindustry.org/quality-and-regulations/
Euro Meat News. (2024). US beef production expected to drop by 5% in 2025. https://euromeatnews.com/Article-US-beef-production-expected-to-drop-by-5-in-2025/6301
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. (2020). Human Platelet Lysate in Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Expansion: From Bench to GMP Manufacturing. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2020.579536/full
Journal of Translational Medicine. (n.d.). Human platelet lysate as an alternative to fetal bovine serum in cell culture. https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-019-1890-x
RMBIO. (2023). Understanding serum origin and qualification. https://www.rmbio.com/blog/fbs-origin
Thermo Fisher Scientific. (n.d.). Fetal bovine serum: Frequently asked questions. https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/...ammalian-cell-culture/fetal-bovine-serum.html
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). (2024). Guidelines for importation of fetal bovine serum. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...ormation/import-live-animals/sa_import_bovine
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (ERS). (2024). Livestock, dairy, and poultry outlook: March 2024. https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=106451
The post Confronting a Dwindling Supply of Fetal Bovine Serum appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
Persistent drought conditions across major cattle-producing regions, coupled with rising feed and fuel costs, have led ranchers to reduce herd sizes and delay restocking. In the United States, beef output in 2025 is projected to decline by approximately 4–5% compared to the previous year (USDA ERS, 2024). National cattle inventory has already dropped to its lowest point since 1951 (American Farm Bureau Federation, 2024). Because FBS is collected from bovine fetuses during slaughter, fewer animals directly translate into reduced serum availability.
These supply pressures are compounded by intensifying global demand for biologics, vaccine production, and cell-based therapies. As a result, experts estimate that even small shifts in slaughter rates could reduce FBS production by 30–50% (BioProcess International, 2024). Prices have surged accordingly, and the path ahead points to further volatility.
Behind the FBS shortage
Climate extremes, especially persistent drought across major cattle-producing regions, have forced ranchers to cull breeding stock and delay herd expansion (American Farm Bureau Federation, 2024). Recent wildfires and other environmental stresses have also reduced cattle numbers, compounding the effects of FBS drought.
Tom Kutrubes
Meanwhile, economic pressures such as high feed and fuel costs have made cattle rearing more expensive, prompting some producers to exit or downsize operations. After successive years of herd reductions, producers are now attempting to rebuild herds by retaining more heifers for breeding rather than sending them to slaughter. This rebuilding effort, while critical for the long-term beef industry, reduces short-term slaughter rates, directly cutting into the supply of fetal calves from which FBS is derived.
Finally, supply chain consolidations in the serum industry may be exacerbating the issue; a few large processors control a majority of FBS production, meaning any disruption or decision at those firms can significantly affect overall availability. The net result of these factors is a tighter FBS market with constrained supply and escalating prices—a situation expected to persist for the next few years.
Diversify geographic sourcing of serum
One immediate strategy for biotech laboratories and manufacturers is to expand and diversify FBS sourcing geographically. Many U.S. labs have traditionally relied on domestically sourced serum, but in today’s climate, this narrow approach is a vulnerability.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) permits imports of FBS from several approved countries that meet strict animal health and safety standards. Eligible sources include regions in Central America, Mexico, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others. All FBS imported into the U.S. undergoes extensive safety screening, including sterile filtration and tests for bovine viruses per 9 CFR regulations, to ensure it is as safe as U.S.-origin material (USDA APHIS, 2024). Importantly, serum origin has no inherent impact on quality or cell culture performance when it meets these standards. If one country’s supply tightens or prices spike, alternative sources can fill the gap.
Secure long-term supplier agreements
Another key mitigation strategy is to forge strong, long-term agreements with serum suppliers. Not all FBS suppliers have the same level of supply chain control. Those that maintain direct relationships with slaughterhouses (abattoirs) and that operate vertically-integrated collection and processing pipelines tend to have more stable output and inventory.
Persistent drought conditions across major cattle-producing regions, coupled with rising feed and fuel costs, have led ranchers to reduce herd sizes and delay restocking [Cstar55/Getty Images]
Biotech companies should seek out suppliers with such integrated supply chains or even consider partnering directly with abattoirs to ensure a reliable flow of serum. Establishing multi-year supply contracts or reserve agreements can lock in future FBS volumes and pricing. This not only guarantees a baseline supply even if the market tightens further, but also helps labs avoid the worst of price volatility (BioProcess International, 2024).
During the last major serum market cycle, some FBS providers and their clients managed to buffer the impact by signing supply agreements that guaranteed availability through the shortage period. Similar long-term partnerships today can ensure that when FBS supplies are scarce, contracted customers receive priority allocations.
Plan bulk purchases and inventory reserves
Given the volatility in the FBS market, laboratories and manufacturers should also implement proactive inventory management to weather supply disruptions. FBS is a uniquely storable biological product—when kept frozen, it remains stable for up to five years from the date of manufacture (European Serum Products Association, 2023). This long shelf life enables labs to buy and stockpile serum in larger quantities than immediately needed, as a hedge against future scarcities.
Many experienced researchers plan FBS purchases to cover the entire expected duration of a project or production campaign, thereby avoiding mid-stream lot changes or shortages. Purchasing in bulk during periods of relative abundance (or before anticipated price increases) can lock in costs and ensure consistency of experimental results by limiting lot-to-lot variability.
Invest in serum-free alternative media
In the longer term, reducing dependence on FBS through alternative culture media is an important strategic direction. FBS has long been the gold standard supplement for cell culture due to its rich growth factor content and universal compatibility, but it is not the only option.
Researchers have been actively developing and adopting serum-free or chemically defined media that can support certain cell lines without the need for FBS. In some cases, switching to a defined medium can eliminate FBS usage entirely, thereby sidestepping the supply and cost issues associated with it.
It is worth noting that, despite advances in serum-free formulations, FBS remains the most versatile and widely used growth supplement in life science labs today. Many legacy cell lines and protocols are deeply tied to FBS. Thus, a pragmatic approach is to gradually evaluate alternatives: critical processes can be tested with serum-free media in parallel, or new projects can start with serum-free systems if feasible, thereby incrementally decreasing future reliance on FBS.
The current FBS shortage is a wake-up call that the lifeblood of cell culture—quite literally—cannot be taken for granted. A shrinking cattle herd and other macro forces have tightened the FBS supply chain to a degree not seen in decades. Proactive, industry-wide action is required to prevent this constraint from stalling scientific progress.
By treating FBS supply as a strategic priority and risk-managing it with the same rigor as any critical raw material, the industry can adapt to the new normal of limited serum availability. Those organizations that plan ahead—expanding their supplier base, locking in contracts, and exploring new media technologies—will be best positioned to continue their research and production uninterrupted.
In an era of booming demand for biomedical solutions, ensuring a stable FBS supply chain is about cost control, as well as safeguarding the continuity of innovation in life sciences. With data-driven planning and collaborative effort, the biotechnology community can weather the FBS drought and sustain growth in the face of this challenge.
Tom Kutrubes is executive director of SeraPrime.
References:
American Farm Bureau Federation. (2024). Cattle herd trends and market conditions. https://www.fb.org/newsroom/u-s-cattle-inventory-hits-lowest-level-since-1951
BioProcess International. (2024). Rising demand and falling supply squeeze FBS market. https://bioprocessintl.com/bioproce...ne-serum-prices-skyrocket-as-supply-tightens/
Corning Life Sciences. (n.d.). Serum-Free and Specialty Media Guide. https://www.corning.com/catalog/cls/documents/serum-free-media-selection-guide.pdf
European Serum Products Association. (2023). Fetal bovine serum: Ethical sourcing and quality control. https://www.serumindustry.org/quality-and-regulations/
Euro Meat News. (2024). US beef production expected to drop by 5% in 2025. https://euromeatnews.com/Article-US-beef-production-expected-to-drop-by-5-in-2025/6301
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. (2020). Human Platelet Lysate in Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Expansion: From Bench to GMP Manufacturing. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2020.579536/full
Journal of Translational Medicine. (n.d.). Human platelet lysate as an alternative to fetal bovine serum in cell culture. https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-019-1890-x
RMBIO. (2023). Understanding serum origin and qualification. https://www.rmbio.com/blog/fbs-origin
Thermo Fisher Scientific. (n.d.). Fetal bovine serum: Frequently asked questions. https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/...ammalian-cell-culture/fetal-bovine-serum.html
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). (2024). Guidelines for importation of fetal bovine serum. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...ormation/import-live-animals/sa_import_bovine
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (ERS). (2024). Livestock, dairy, and poultry outlook: March 2024. https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=106451
The post Confronting a Dwindling Supply of Fetal Bovine Serum appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.