Why UK farmers are turning to jazz to keep cows calm

Indian Express

3 days ago

Some dairy farmers in the UK are playing jazz music to their cows, saying it helps keep the animals calm and may even improve milk production, BBC reports.
The trend has recently gained attention on TikTok, where videos of cows listening to music have been viewed millions of times. But Warwickshire dairy farmer Charles Goadby said he first began playing music to his herd about a decade ago.
'We installed a robotic milking system and there was a lot of new harsh sounds and noises, so we wanted to drown that out and give them a constant sound,' he told the BBC.
The New Hot 5 playing for a herd of cows in Autrans, France. pic.twitter.com/ARi4ygPANU
— The Jazz Estate (@thejazzestate) September 30, 2024
'Somebody suggested the cows like classical music that was the trend back then so I put a classical radio station on for them, and it just helps them relax a little bit.'
While jazz is currently popular among farmers taking part in the trend, Goadby said he has tried many genres and believes cows would respond to almost any music. 'If you went and stood on the edge of a field and put any music on, the cows would come across,' he said. 'They just want to be nosy and see what's going on.'
Goadby said the music may do more than keep cows calm – it might also prepare them for milking. He compared it to the Pavlov's Dog experiment, in which dogs learned to associate the sound of a bell with being fed, and began to respond physically to the sound alone.
'We always have music on in the milking parlour, not just for the staff,' he said. 'It's a little bit like the Pavlov dog theory, where it wakes up the senses, starts their hormone production, and the cows will release a little bit sooner. That milk flow will be a little bit quicker. It helps relax the cows and the workers so that's a win-win all round.'
Do animals like music?
Studies found they enjoy specially designed sounds using pitches, tones and tempos that are familiar to a particular animal's species.
This cow, for example, is really sensitive to guitar music. pic.twitter.com/mlQY7GmsNE
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) December 11, 2024
Another Warwickshire farmer, Rob Hadley, said his herd has responded well to jazz. 'They're very relaxed about the jazz,' he said, though he added, 'Truthfully, a bit of Ozzy Osbourne would scare the socks off them.'
Animal videos often attract attention on social media, but Goadby thinks the appeal goes beyond the music itself. 'I just think people like cows – they're great animals, so anything with cows will get interest,' he said. He added that it was positive to see attention on farming, which can be a challenging industry.