Russians Put VR Goggles on Their Cows for a Very Good Reason

While VR may have come at a standstill on some human markets, Russians are giving it another go with their… cows. Farmers in Russia are now giving their cattle VR experiences, hoping to get something in return.

What can that be? More milk.

 Russia is actually dependent on imported milk, reported Dairy Global this spring, but hopes to solve that issue by 2020. One way to do that is encouraging dairy cows to produce more milk by giving them a better life.

Instead of resorting to more practical and REAL solutions, one farm in the Ramensky District has turned to virtual reality. The workers at RusMoloko are outfitting their cars with VR headsets that project a make-believe scenery. Specifically, they are shown a “unique summer field simulation program”.

 “Examples of dairy farms from different countries show that in a calm atmosphere, the quantity, and sometimes the quality, of milk increases markedly.”, pointed out the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Moscow Region in an official statement.

How well does it work?

Pretty good, according to the initial tests. Experts noticed a decrease in the cows’ anxiety level and an increase in the emotional mood of the herd.

Another well-known method to stimulate cows in Russia is to play them classical music.

We’ll have to wait and see how well these relaxation techniques work but, at the end of the day, these tricks can’t compare to actually letting cattle graze peacefully on a pasture.