Straus Family Creamery :: Pasture - Is the Grass Always Greener?

Relaxing in the grass

Normal late spring grass

Typical summer day on the coast

Pasture - Is the Grass Always Greener?

Depends on where the cows are grazing.

It seems like we get asked every day: do your cows eat grass? The simple answer is: yes. About 80% of their intake comes from grasses either through direct grazing or the consumption of silage (cut and fermented grasses).

Today, only 10-12% of dairy cows in America are grazed, according to 2005 statistics from U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, WI.

Like everything else, the issue of pasture is complicated. Because of our location, we enjoy lush grass fields for about seven months out of the year (November - May). However, we don't allow our animals out into the pasture during periods of heavy rainfall for the good of the land and the health of the animals. During the summer our grasses dry up until the winter rains bring them out again. And, even though we enjoy a very mild climate in the summer, we don't have adequate grasses to feed the animals, so we rely on silage and other organic feeds to supplement their 80-100 lbs. of food intake per day.

Spring is the best time for cows to be on grass. Our pasture provides high-quality protein and many vitamins and minerals. A recent USDA study shows that cows who graze produce five times more of a cancer-fighting compound, Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), than cows fed a conventional diet. Even so, not all pasture in all parts of the country is as nutritious as others. We're fortunate to have good weather and good soil, which we manage well, so that the nutrients in our pasture are plentiful.

Access to open pasture reduces the threat of communicable diseases caused by overcrowding. When animals are reared in confinement, one sick animal poses a potential threat to the entire group. Animals on pasture have less close contact with each other, thus disease problems are lessened. Our cows also get valuable exercise by grazing on pasture.

During the winter, our cows stay in an open-sided barn with large, open stalls filled with rice hulls for bedding. There are two very important reasons to keep cows inside: to prevent a cow from getting stress-related diseases including foot rot, mastitis and pneumonia; and to prevent soil erosion. Being accountable for the condition of the land is one of the responsibilities of farming. A cow, which weighs up to 1400 lbs., can really damage the fields and herself if she gets stuck or slips and falls. The hillsides around here can get treacherous. Just like you, the cows prefer a dry, cozy bed after a full organic meal.


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Pasteurization Greenhouse Gases Free Farmed vs Organic Just Say No To GMO's Pasture - Is the Grass Always Greener?Waste Management Herd Health A Cow's Diet Plastic or Glass?	Relaxing in the grass Normal late spring grass Typical summer day on the coast Pasture - Is the Grass Always Greener? Depends on where the cows are grazing. It seems like we get asked every day: do your cows eat grass? The simple answer is: yes. About 80% of their intake comes from grasses either through direct grazing or the consumption of silage (cut and fermented grasses). Today, only 10-12% of dairy cows in America are grazed, according to 2005 statistics from U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, WI. Like everything else, the issue of pasture is complicated. Because of our location, we enjoy lush grass fields for about seven months out of the year (November - May). However, we don't allow our animals out into the pasture during periods of heavy rainfall for the good of the land and the health of the animals. During the summer our grasses dry up until the winter rains bring them out again. And, even though we enjoy a very mild climate in the summer, we don't have adequate grasses to feed the animals, so we rely on silage and other organic feeds to supplement their 80-100 lbs. of food intake per day. Spring is the best time for cows to be on grass. Our pasture provides high-quality protein and many vitamins and minerals. A recent USDA study shows that cows who graze produce five times more of a cancer-fighting compound, Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), than cows fed a conventional diet. Even so, not all pasture in all parts of the country is as nutritious as others. We're fortunate to have good weather and good soil, which we manage well, so that the nutrients in our pasture are plentiful. Access to open pasture reduces the threat of communicable diseases caused by overcrowding. When animals are reared in confinement, one sick animal poses a potential threat to the entire group. Animals on pasture have less close contact with each other, thus disease problems are lessened. Our cows also get valuable exercise by grazing on pasture. During the winter, our cows stay in an open-sided barn with large, open stalls filled with rice hulls for bedding. There are two very important reasons to keep cows inside: to prevent a cow from getting stress-related diseases including foot rot, mastitis and pneumonia; and to prevent soil erosion. Being accountable for the condition of the land is one of the responsibilities of farming. A cow, which weighs up to 1400 lbs., can really damage the fields and herself if she gets stuck or slips and falls. The hillsides around here can get treacherous. Just like you, the cows prefer a dry, cozy bed after a full organic meal.