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Milk Production and Music

This Science Minute was researched and written by Mack R. of Groton, NY.

Have you ever heard that cows give more milk when listening to music? Well, it's true–at least for some kinds of music!

Psychology researchers in England found that cows produced up to a pint and a half more milk per day when listening to mellow music. During the study, the researchers played different styles of music for the cows: country (like Shania Twain), rock (like Lynyrd Skynyrd), folk (like Simon & Garfunkel), and classical (like Beethoven).

Music was played for 12 hours a day, over a nine-week period.

When listening to soothing music, cows raised their production by up to 3%. The researchers suggest that music with a slower beat, like classical and folk music, relaxed the cows and lowered their stress levels, helping them let their milk down more easily. Other music styles, like country and rock, did not have the same effect.

What's next? The researchers are going to test the effects of music on other species!