Montana Oil And Mining Journal

Butte Dairyman Finds Music Quiets Cows, Increases Milk

Music—that lilting art that "hath charms to soothe the savage breast" has added the domestic milk cow to its coterie of enchanted followers. and lulled by the soft strains of song. at least one herd of bovines in Butte is producing "contented" milk. The cows—30 in number—are owned by L. R. Richardson of the Marigold Dairy in Butte, and two years of experience with radio music has not only taught Mr. Richardson that his cows like music but it has shown him just what kind of melody charms the cattle.

But alas for the long-haired proponents of classical harmony, the cows definitely do not appreciate the music of the masters classical music is N. G. But that comes later.

Radio-equipped milking houses provide the soothing atmosphere. Music is provided not only during milking hours, but the gentle flow of song is wafted to the ears of the cows every minute they are at rest in the barns.

The experiment—and Richardson is convinced it is an experiment proved successful—began about two years ago when he hit upon the idea of radios to soothe and calm his cows. For several years he had been experimenting in an effort to obtain the best quality of milk. and he came to the conclusion that music would truly have charms to soothe the beast.

Excitement Spoils Milk

"A cow is. after all, a factory for producing milk and her brain controls that factory." he points out very logically. "We believe that if a cow gets excited or nervous. it changes the quality of her milk. We hit upon the radio idea and it has proved successful. Music lulls them into comfort, provides a soothing atmosphere and makes them less excitable."

Richardson, having two milking barns for his cows. has placed a radio in each barn. hooked them up and tuned them in to provide music for the cows. Two years have produced results. He points out that he has several cows who previously were extremely nervous and given to kicking and jumping when strangers approached or loud noises distracted them.

And he explains. patting one of the cows hard enough to make her aware of his presence. "since we've put in radios, they've all become much calmer and quieter and aren't nervous at all."

The radios are giving music at all times the cows are giving milk. When the cows are brought into the milking houses at 5 o'clock in the morning for the morning milking, the radios are tuned in to any station that provides gentle music. The radios are in use throughout the day, then, until 11 o'clock at night when the cows are turned out for the night.

Classical Music Taboo

And, strangely enough, classical music is taboo with the gentle milk cows. As Richardson points out. "I hate to admit it. but they don't seem to care for classical music (lovers of Chopin and Liszt, please note) but they prefer songs that are fast, yet soft."

Upon the basis of experiments with different types of music, Richardson and his staff have found the cows are more contented and calmer when the radios are producing fast and gentle tones of reels, old-time music and folk sings. Popular music, too, is an antidote for jittery bovine nerves. provided. of course, the brass isn't too heavy. The effect of "Ferdinand, the Bull" has not been catalogued scientifically.

But, like classical music and strains of the old masters, "swing" is out.

Seriously, the effects of music have been highly successful in improving the attitude and nerves of the Richardson cows, and all those factors likewise have improved the quality of the milk. Richardson thinks so highly of the radio experiment that he has four radios on hand at all times two in use and two more ready to be plugged in at a moment's notice if the others discord or go out of commission.

One of Many Experiments

The radio system is only one of many experiments tried by Richardson, who became a dairyman by accident about five years ago. At that time, he was a miner, but when he became unemployed he immediately turned his mind to other fields. He noticed, he points out, that all milk seemed to have a different flavor. so to find out the reason. he bought a Jersey cow. From that single cow. his herd of 30 was built.

He now has a mixed herd, composed of Jerseys, Guernseys, Holsteins, Brown Swiss and Shorthorns, because he believes that each cow produces a different type of milk and a mixed herd will enable him to keep the milk grade standard at all times. That solution was the outcome of another of his experiments.

"We also believe a cow is just like a baby. so we treat her like one, giving her food she likes as well as food that is good for her. keeping her comfortable at all times. keeping her from becoming nervous (that's where the radio comes in) and adding in every possible way. to their satisfaction," Richardson explains.

Milk Never Exposed

Another idea, which is generally adopted by dairymen, is that milk, because it adopts any stray flavor or smell, must not be exposed unduly to the air. Therefore, with the use of milking machines, covered pails and a sealed cooling house. the milk from the Richardson cows goes from "factory" to consumer with few, if any chances to be reached by the air.

But the fact that the combination of radios and music is a good idea is brought out. not only in the success of Richardson's experiment, but in the fact that the federal government's agricultural department has recommended the project to farmers and the fact that music and milk are being "hooked up" more and more by dairymen throughout the country.

And so. consumers. if in the future, your milk is furnished through the courtesy of radio and you find it sour, register the complaint not with the cow but with the trends of radio music —for the soft strains of song may become in the future the principal selling point of nature's greatest food.