Our Grain Free Dairy journey comes to an end

Don’t worry, we’re still milking, making cheese, and training cows.

But the next load of bulk feed won’t be alfalfa pellets, it will be a non GMO dairy ration. We feel it’s a more complete feed for our hard working girls and provides better nutrition for them. Their nutritional needs are more important than any grassfed fad promoted by people who don’t farm and definitely don’t milk.

Overall, I’ve had no complaints, the cows switched easily and have performed well without grains. Unfortunately, Alfalfa isn’t a complete feed, and can cause complications with fresh cow edema, fresh cow milk fever, and too low of calories in the non growing season.

Despite the public demand for grain free products, I don’t have a multitude of loyal customers buying me out every week, not even close!

Honestly, I’m just tired of struggling to make grassfed fit into a position it’s not designed for. I’m also not convinced that grain fee dairy products are more healthy (and all the tests are weighted or skewed!).

I’m also tired of the endless “grassfed genetic debate” and people who are simple pushing their opinions or regurgitating what they’ve read on Google.  People only hear what they want to hear, and the folks convinced that grassfed is superior and that you must have grassfed genetics, are not the customers I enjoy. I’m tired of explaining that environment is 60-80% of genetic performance, it falls on deaf ears. Nobody wants to hear that their cow’s condition and performance is largely based on their management.

Dairy cattle have thrived on grain supplementation for hundreds  of years. With proper forages or other feed stuffs, dairy cattle thrive without grain. My goal is that my cattle thrive in my environment. This is what brings me joy.