If you want more milk, name it

A study in the UK showed that cows would give more milk if the employer called them by name.

Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson, two experts from Newcastle University (UK), track 516 cattle farms to find out the relationship between milk production in a year with the name of the cow. Results showed that 46% of farm owners said they named cows, 66% said they knew all cows in the farm, 48% speculated that cow's milk quality increased if people were interested in them. Only nearly 10% of farm owners are concerned that contact with cows too often will reduce milk quality.

The two researchers found that, on farms where every cow has a name, the average annual milk yield of a single is 3.4% larger than that of unnamed ones . They argue that this finding is very important for the livestock industry, especially those with low milk production.

Of course, the name alone cannot bring higher milk production. The team thinks that it is a combination of many factors.

Dairy cow (Photo: Intangibility.com)

' Humans like names and cows too. Perhaps they feel happier when we call them by name. But just naming it is not enough. We have to pay attention to every cow since they were young. These things make them love you more, while increasing milk production , 'the two scientists affirmed.

Peter thinks that we need to respect cows more because they are not stupid animals . One study demonstrated that cows have the ability to orient by Earth's magnetic field. Many other tests show that cows produce more milk than listen to music every day.

" Our research shows that cows can sense people's emotions. Who knows what possibilities they have. Anyway, naming cows doesn't take a penny of farmers, in when they can give them more milk , "Peter said.