Turkey: Cows wear VR headsets for more milk

A Turkish farmer sends his cows out to a virtual pasture.

They reward him with more milk. Animal welfare advocates are nonetheless critical of the VR headsets.

What once began as a quirky Swiss advertisement has now apparently become reality: cows are being shown lush green meadows through strapped-on virtual reality headsets, intended to stimulate better milk production. The dystopia depicted in the Appenzeller commercial from 2017 was first put into practice two years later in Russia. Now, it seems a Turkish farmer is also experimenting with the idea.

Pastures that are never grazed bare, always green, always lush. This is the world Izzet Kocak offers his cows — albeit as a simulation. The Turkish farmer tricks his animals: using virtual reality headsets, he makes them believe they are standing not in a barn but out in the open air. To accompany the experience, they are treated to music by Beethoven and Mozart. The animals appear to enjoy it, producing litres more milk as a result.

The animals do still go out to real pastures, but two cows additionally get to graze on the virtual pasture for an extra 20 minutes a day. And an effect does seem to be emerging. The farmer reports that milk production from the cows currently trialling the VR technology has increased by five litres.

No substitute for real pasture

Kocak’s herd comprises a total of 180 animals. He is currently testing the system on two of them. In the coming weeks, three more animals are set to join the trial. His idea is not new — in Russia, the Ministry of Agriculture tested VR headsets on cows around two years ago.

The ministry cited studies at the time showing that cows produce more milk of better quality when they feel comfortable and the atmosphere is calm and positive. And indeed, the Russian ministry reported that the emotional mood of the herds in the pilot farms had improved.

Animal welfare advocates, however, are skeptical of the concept. The method must not mean locking animals in cages, warned Ahmet Kemal Senpolat, head of the Turkish animal rights group Haytap. That would be “torture” and a violation of animal rights.