Does Milk Production Improve in Cows Wearing Virtual Reality Headsets?

Milk production in Moscow has received an unexpected boost. According to sources, some farmers in Russia have strapped virtual reality headsets to their cows, which are modified to fit the cattle properly and simulate pleasant experiences. One such experience is a summer field, designed specifically to please the animals.

The virtual reality headsets have been adapted for the dairy cows as an experiment, including colors that are designed to reduce their anxiety, and work specifically for cattle. There’s been no word with respect to whether this is something that will be adapted around the world, including here in Texas. However, in Moscow, the cows in the experiment have displayed positive results.

Engadget, a technology website, has reported that the virtual reality headsets show the cows landscapes that are pleasant and colors or scenes that put the animals in a better mood. Despite the fact that the numbers anticipated from this study have yet to show increased milk production, the alternative has proven to reduce it, in that if a cow appears stressed or over anxious, they produce less milk. Subsequently, a more comprehensive study is being planned to further investigate the process.

Photo: Pixabay

It’s all a little reminiscent of Chick-fil-A’s 2017 ad campaign “Cowz VR,” which showed the popular food chain’s mascots wearing virtual reality helmets.

In October, we reported that consumers were displaying characteristics of uncertainty when it came to knowing where such things as milk production took place, including chocolate milk in particular. In fact, seven percent of Americans actually thought that chocolate milk came from brown cows. The science behind improving milk production through virtual reality may be a concept that won’t make a connection with such individuals at this point, but the fact that their education can catch up with actual reality isn’t a stretch, especially with increased efforts in agricultural teachings by such organizations as FoodCorps. Teaching agricultural and nutritional information to young and old alike, groups such as this aim to reduce the knowledge gap for consumers, while new frontiers are investigated in enhanced production in the meantime.