Well, it’s spring time and you know what that means…fresh pasture! The water cooler buzz this time of year is all about “the flush.” This phrase refers to the time of the year when milk volumes, temporarily, shoot through the roof. Due to environmental factors, the flush happens at slightly different times each year. Here in Iowa, the flush is happening now!
What causes the flush?
Two things drive the increase in milk supply during the flush:
- Cows start feeding on lush, green grass.
- Cows also “freshen” or give birth to calves in the spring.
Watch the video below to see cows, from one of the local Amish farms we work with, grazing on fresh pasture for the first time in 2016!