Is Bovine Collagen From Bones or Hides? What the Source Means

Bovine collagen is extracted from hides, not from bones or cartilage. That distinction matters because the source determines which collagen types you get, and the types are structurally different proteins with different distributions in the body.

Where the confusion comes from

Bone broth is probably the culprit. It is made by simmering bones and connective tissue for hours, and it does release collagen — along with calcium, gelatine, and various other compounds. Because bone broth became popular at roughly the same time as collagen supplements, the two got mentally filed together. But commercial bovine collagen powder is not concentrated bone broth. It is a much more controlled product, and hides are the standard raw material, not bones.

Cartilage is a separate source again. It yields Type II collagen, which is structurally distinct and found primarily in hyaline cartilage. If a product label says Type II, cartilage is almost certainly the source. If it says Type I and III, you are looking at hide-derived collagen.

Why hides yield Type I and III

Collagen is not a single molecule. There are at least 28 identified types, each defined by its amino acid arrangement and where it sits in the body. Type I is the most abundant collagen in mammals and makes up the bulk of skin, tendons and bone matrix. Type III is found alongside Type I in skin and blood vessel walls. Both are fibrillar collagens — long, rope-like structures — and hides contain them in high concentrations because skin is built around them.

Cartilage has a different structural job. It needs to resist compression rather than tension, and Type II collagen is suited to that. It has a slightly different amino acid sequence and does not appear in meaningful amounts in hide.

So the source is not arbitrary. Extract collagen from hide and you get Type I and III. Extract it from cartilage and you get Type II. The chemistry follows the biology.

What hydrolysed means

Raw collagen is a large, insoluble protein. To make it usable as a powder that dissolves in liquid, manufacturers break it down into shorter chains called peptides. This process — hydrolysis — does not change which type of collagen you have. A hydrolysed Type I peptide is still derived from Type I collagen. The hydrolysis affects size and solubility, not origin.

Gelatine sits between the two. It is partially hydrolysed collagen, which is why it gels when it cools. Fully hydrolysed collagen peptides do not gel and dissolve more readily.

What Pump House's bovine collagen actually is

The Pure Bovine Collagen Powder is hydrolysed Type I and III peptides, sourced from the hides of grass-fed, pasture-raised EU cattle. Each 10g serving delivers 9.3g of protein. That protein figure reflects the amino acid content of the peptides — collagen has a distinctive profile, high in glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, which is unlike most other protein sources.

If you want to understand more about what the label tells you and what to look for when comparing products, this guide to bovine collagen powder covers the practical detail.

There is also a capsule format — Collagen 400mg Capsules — also hydrolysed bovine. The dose per capsule is lower, so the powder and capsule suit different situations. That trade-off is covered separately.

Type I and III versus Type II — does it matter which you take?

This article will not answer that question with a recommendation, because doing so would stray into health claims that are not authorised under UK food supplement law. There are no approved GB health claims for collagen in any form — not for skin, joints, bones or anything else. What can be said is that Type I and III and Type II are different proteins from different sources, and if you are choosing a product for a specific reason, it is worth knowing which type you are buying.

The research picture is genuinely unsettled. A 2025 meta-analysis (Myung SK, Park Y. Am J Med 2025;138(9):1264–1277) pooled 23 randomised controlled trials on collagen and skin outcomes. The overall pooled result showed significant improvements in skin hydration, elasticity and wrinkles. However, in subgroup analyses restricted to higher-quality trials and trials without pharmaceutical funding, those effects were no longer statistically significant — a caveat worth knowing when reading headlines about collagen research.

Bovine versus marine

Marine collagen is Type I only, sourced from fish rather than cattle. If you are comparing the two options, this comparison of bovine and marine collagen sets out the practical differences without steering you towards one or the other. Note that the Marine Collagen Powder contains fish and is not suitable for anyone with a fish or shellfish allergy or intolerance.

The short version on source: hides give you Type I and III, cartilage gives you Type II, and fish skin gives you Type I. If you are considering a fish-derived product, note that marine collagen contains fish and is not suitable for anyone with a fish or shellfish allergy or intolerance. Know what you are buying and why.