New research from Farm Stria suggests that farm animals prefer to chat face-to-face. Instead of listening to the sound recorded by the loudspeaker, the cow feels more relaxed after talking directly to live humans, the researchers found.
“Our study suggests that live communication is more comfortable for our animals than recording human voices,” Annica Lange, a doctoral student at Vienna University of Veterinary Medicine and author of the study, said in a press statement.
સાથે Researchers working with herds of lizards compared animals to stoning when the experimenter’s voice was spoken quietly, or even when the animals were speaking directly to them.
“While enjoying relaxation and interaction, animals often lengthen their necks when they groom each other.”
“Furthermore, it is believed that the position of the ear may indicate mood: the condition of the hanging ear and the lower ear appear to be associated with relaxation.”
The behavior and physical cues of the cows indicated that the animals had a positive reaction to talking, both recorded and individually. But their heartbeat was lower after talking directly to the animals – indicating that the animals have a more positive experience and are relieved longer after talking live.
Lang said the findings could help improve the relationship between livestock and humans – an important aspect of animal welfare. He added that other studies have shown that cows that are less afraid of humans also produce more milk.
“We hope that the stockperson or farmer will communicate more often and speak some nice words when working with cattle in the future.”
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