Dairy Farmers Devise Creative Tools for Cow Comfort

As farmers become increasingly aware of the link between comfortable cows and greater milk production, dairy producers across the country are employing unorthodox methods to maximize the quantity and quality of their cows’ milk. According to The Huffington Post, farmers are supplementing traditional farming techniques such as regulating temperature and lighting with methods such as routine chiropractic adjustments, automated backscratchers, massage, and even classical music. One Ohio farmer installed $70,000 worth of waterbeds for his 220 cows, which he says have since begun producing more milk with fewer impurities. While proponents say these methods improve the animals’ quality of life, some animal-welfare advocates argue that dairy production is an inherently cruel process, regardless of the presence of such amenities.