- If Keanu Reeves plays a cow in a Matrix reboot, we'd still watch it.
Photo by Andy Kelly on Unsplash
Russian farmers have decided to make valued members of society a little more comfortable. Which members? Cows. They give us our beloved dairy, why not share technology?
Have You Herd The News?
A farm just outside Moscow is giving VR goggles to their cows to increase the quantity and quality of milk. The Ministry of Agriculture of the Moscow region released the news and photos on the 25th. The Ministry says that “studies have shown that cows’ environmental conditions can impact the milk produced.”
Mootrix Anyone?
In the Matrix humans are enslaved by technology and kept happy, oblivious to their reality. So the farmers are basically making the plot of the Matrix come to life.
With the help of veterinarians and consultants from dairy production, developer teams have made some over sized VR goggles for cows. What were the cows experiencing while wearing the goggles? A virtual cow paradise of wild, expansive fields beneath the sun.
The Real Question Is Does It Work?
That is unclear so far. But the first test conducted revealed that it did decrease anxiety and improved the mood of the herd. Let’s be fair though, if we were transported to a beautiful field, our mood would be better too. The Russian farmers aren’t the only ones trying to make life better for cows. Wagyu farmers have started setting mood lightning, among other tricks, to keep their cows happy. There are farmers who play their cows music, which (according to a Missouri farmer) really works to improve milk!
On The Other Hand…
Ben and Jerry’s Caring Dairy is supposedly where they got their milk, in their controlled ‘humane’ environment. However, a recent lawsuit proves different. They only get a minority of their milk from their farms. They say on their website, BenJerry.com, that ‘happy or not, cows can’t talk or type,’ so it is all up to their farmers.