Is the daily news making you feel blue? Is work making you feel too stressed to feel blessed? Well, we’ve got the perfect story to help turn your frown upside down. It’s officially spring, which means it’s the time of year when many cows are let outside for the warmer months. And if you’ve never had the pleasure of watching a cow turnout, well, you’re truly missing out (but don’t worry, we’re here to fill you in).
What is a cow turnout?
During the cold winter months, many dairy cows are kept inside to keep them warm and safe. Once spring comes around, and the weather starts to heat up (well, stops being freezing) the cows can enjoy the great outdoors and green pastures. This process of the cows going out to pasture in the springtime is called turnout, and boy, is it amazing to witness! After spending months indoors, the cows are thrilled to be out in the fresh air, and you’ll find them frolicking and kicking their legs in excitement. Don’t believe us? One of our own dairies filmed their turnout, which you can watch below.
Has your day been made too? We can’t stop grinning from ear to ear.
Good for the cows
And while watching cows frolicking in the springtime sun gives us the serotonin boost we all need, it’s more than just a happy occasion. Andrew Ayrton, a dairy farmer of Bower House farm, knows all too well the importance of spring turnout.
‘You only have to see the cows running and jumping for joy at spring turnout to know the cows want to be out there grazing on pasture. We believe that going outdoors in the spring and summer months is a basic freedom that all cows should have.’
This basic freedom creates happy cows which in turn produce creamy, high-quality milk for you to enjoy. It’s a win-win by all accounts!
A fair price for farmers
Our farmers work hard to give their cows the care and treatment they deserve, which is why we’re committed to paying them a fair price for their milk. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it enables our farmers to reinvest in their business and continually improve enabling them to reduce their environmental impact. Andrew Ayrton’s farm runs a low impact grazing system, recycles their own water to use on the property, and uses waste hops from a local brewery to add to the cow’s winter forage. It’s changes like these that make a difference and help to create a sustainable food chain.
