Sweet Music for Milking

Researchers tell us that dairy cows produce more milk when listening to relaxing music. They believe farmers could get an extra pint from their charges by playing classical music or smoochy numbers in the cowshed.Not too surprising is it? As a former nursing mother, I can say that being relaxed helps humans produce more milk too. Psychologists at the University of Leicester, UK, played music of different tempos to herds of Friesian cattle.
Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony and Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water were a big hit in the milking shed. But when rowdy numbers, like Mud's Tigerfeet and Size of a Cow by Wonderstuff, were played, there was no increase in milk yield.
"Calming music can improve milk yield, probably because it reduces stress," said Dr Adrian North, who carried out the study with colleague Liam MacKenzie.
Some farmers already play music to chickens, as there is anecdotal evidence that it reduces stress.
"A lot of farmers seem to think it works," Dr North told BBC News Online. "In essence, we're following their lead."