Got Milk?
There's something deeply satisfying about a Loop pickup. You drive away knowing that food that would've gone to landfill is going somewhere good instead. But if you've been in the Loop family for a while, you might have had at least one moment where you're staring at a big pile of dairy and thinking: okay, now what?
Feeding it out is the obvious move. And yes, we're going to talk about that, because pigs who've had copious amounts of milk products are living their absolute best life. But milk is quietly one of the most versatile things you can get from a pickup and some farms are barely scratching the surface.
Let's fix that.
These are ideas gathered from other farms in the Loop community, not a formal feeding plan. Every animal, breed, and operation is different, so please use them as inspiration and adjust based on your own knowledge and judgment. As with any recovered food, milk and other Loop products should only ever supplement a well-rounded diet - not replace it — and are best fed in moderation to avoid issues like nutrient imbalances or digestive upset.
Let's honour the OG use. Pigs love milk and yoghurt and cheese (and for good reason). It's high in fat, protein, and calcium, and it's digestible in a way a lot of feed isn't. Mix it with their regular ration or let them have it straight. Either way, watch them lose their minds about it.
Pro tip: Fermented milk (more on that below) is even better for gut health than fresh.
For orphaned lambs, goat kids, piglets, or calves who've lost their mom or been rejected, surplus cow's milk or goat's milk can be a lifesaver. You can freeze extra Loop milk and milk products to have on hand during kidding and lambing season and you'll be glad you did.
Got a big batch of bread in your pickup too? Combine your wins. Soak the bread in milk or yogurt overnight and you've created something animals go absolutely feral for. Chickens, ducks, pigs, dogs... honestly, it's chaos in the best way! The milk softens the bread, adds nutrition, and makes it smell incredible (to them, at least).
This one's worth the extra step. Pour milk over grain or leftover bread scraps and let it ferment for 24–48 hours. What you get is a probiotic-rich feed that supports gut flora, aids digestion, and can actually reduce feed costs because fermented feed has better bioavailability, allowing your animals to absorb more nutrients.
Chickens on fermented feed tend to have better egg production and pigs on it tend to have fewer digestive issues.
Here's one people forget: chickens can have milk, and they enjoy it. Pour a little into a shallow dish, or soak their scratch in it — just keep it as a treat rather than a staple, since too much milk can crowd out the other feed they need and lead to issues like Vitamin D deficiency or digestive upset. Fed in moderation, though, it's especially great for backyard flocks in winter when they need extra fat and protein to keep their energy up. They'll drink it, they'll step in it, they'll argue about it... basically, it provides a normal chicken day, elevated.
A small splash of milk or scoop of yogurt in the dog bowl or cat dish? They'll think you hung the moon. Moderation matters here as neither dogs nor cats handle large amounts of lactose particularly well... but a little goes a long way as a treat or a supplement to their regular food!
Here's where it gets interesting. Milk contains calcium, potassium, and amino acids which are all things your soil is quietly asking for. Diluted milk (roughly 1 part milk to 4–5 parts water) can be applied directly to garden beds, vegetable patches, or even pasture to improve soil structure and feed the microbial community underground.
Healthy soil microbes are the foundation of everything that grows in it. Giving them a calcium and protein boost is a bit like feeding your soil a smoothie.
Diluted milk sprayed directly on plant leaves acts as a mild antifungal and it's particularly effective against powdery mildew on cucumbers, squash, and other susceptible crops. Mix 1 part milk to 9 parts water and spray in the morning so leaves can dry during the day.
Farmers have been doing this for generations. I promise it's not a trend, it's just something that got forgotten when chemicals became cheap!
When you're transplanting seedlings or starting new beds, watering with diluted milk can give young roots a calcium boost right when they need it most. Calcium helps cell walls form properly and supports root development. You can think of it as a head start for your plants!
Milk is rich in nitrogen and sugars, which makes it rocket fuel for your compost pile. Pour expired or soured milk directly onto the pile, give it a turn, and watch your decomposition speed up noticeably. The microbial activity it triggers is significant, resulting in finished compost faster, and richer!
Every jug of milk or tub of yogurt in your Loop pickup started as something a store couldn't sell. By the time it leaves your farm, it might have fed your lamb, boosted your tomato crop, turbo charged your compost, and given your pigs a reason to believe in Mondays again.
We love seeing what farms do with their pickups. If you've got a creative use we haven't listed, let us know! We'd love to share it with the country! Udderly brilliant ideas are always welcome!
