Cows heading out to pasture for the first time this Spring.
The cows are starting to reap the benefits of our early Spring here in Wisconsin. Usually May 1st is the day to assume pasture will be cow-ready, but the ground is dry and the grass is getting up to 6 inches in some places. This pasture has been used and abused over the years. Two crops of hay have been taken off by the neighbor, and no nutrients have been put back on. I think the best thing for the plants is to have some grazers back on it. Grazing stimulates root growth in pasture plants at the same time the cows are depositing their manure. The end result is a healthier plants and happier cows.
I’ll be easing the cows onto the grass a few hours a day for the next week, as the change from dry hay to lush grass can wreak havoc on their digestive system. If put on lush pasture exclusively early in the season, cows can suffer from bloat, which can be life threatening.
Althea has been milking about 2 gallons a day in addition to whatever the calf is nursing from her. I expect that to go up as she gets some real grass in her system. And Alyssum is looking to be closer to calving every day!
