COWSHED RADIOS SOOTHING AFFECT DURING MILKING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 33, 2 September 1949, Page 6

COWSHED RADIOS SOOTHING AFFECT DURING MILKING

Of recent years the practice of having radios in milking sheds has become increasingly popular in New Zealand and has been tried out with some success by Bay of Plenty farmers. Music seems to have a soothing affect on some animals and possibly explains the power Orpheus, the ancient Greek, had over animals with his lyre. No doubt he would be interested in the application of radios in the sheds to sooth the cows before and during milking. These are appreciated by both hands and herds. Research among cows shows some startling facts and reveals that they are possibly better music critics than some humans. Take, for example, the results of investigation carried out in the North Island. Hawkes Bay cows like music with rhythm, dislike crooners and abominate Spike Jones and his merry men. Yield More Milk Cowbail radios are nothing new; in fact, many dairy farmers discovered music’s soothing effect on their herds ten or 15 years ago. Most cows have something in their make-up which readily responds to music, resulting in the animals being more easily handled during milking and giving a greater yield. Working hours before New Zealand stations came on the air in the early mornings at first troubled some cow-hands, but in most places this difficulty has been overcome by installing short wave sets and listening to overseas transmitters. The several farmers approached, who have radios fitted in their sheds were all unanimous about the value of music as a herd soother.

“Music,” said one, “there’s nothing like it. The cows just lap it up. Most of them seem to have a taste for jive, boogey-woogey and martial music, but they are not too keen on contraltos and crooners.” “Just look at that old bull,” said another farmer. “He follows the cows into the yard every morning just to hear the music. Harry, we call him, and he wouldn’t miss the morning sessions for all the hay inthe province.” Cud-Chewing Somnolence

Another farmer said that his cows shared much the same musical tastes and usually settled down to a period of cud-chewing somnolence their spell in the bails. T remember one day we had some trouble, though. It was the first time they put on Spike Jones and his City Slickers, I think they’re called. Two cows kicked over their buckets, another broke out of the bail, and the bull in the yard nearly broke the rail fence down trying to get into the paddock.”