Milk production many times will improve when cows are first placed on pasture. The trick is to keep production after the spring growth. Pasture is both environmentally and cow friendly because it allows dispersal of manure over a relatively large area and gets cows off hard concrete surfaces. Also less stored feed would be needed in the spring, summer, and fall if conditions are favorable. To manage pasture it is necessary to monitor growth on a daily basis and modify movement of cows accordingly.
Dry weather can be a problem with keeping plants growing and in an immature state.
Providing shade and water is critical for success. Travel lanes made of materials such as pug are possible to keep mud from being a major problem in movement of cows from the milking area to pastures. Pasture is not for everybody just as BST is not. However, it can have a place on many farms. Don't forget, dry cows and heifers can have much of their feed requirements met with pasture.