MILK BY MUSIC

Waipa Post, Volume 48, Issue 3471, 26 May 1934, Page 5

MILK BY MUSIC

PLAINS FARMER’S EXPERIMENT ENQUIRY FROM AMERICA

In the very early days of radio broadcasting a Hauraki Plains farmer installed a loud speaker in his milking shed in order that he and his shed hands could listen-in. By noting the difference in the behaviour of his cows on the silent day he was tempted to make close observations and the result was that he asserted that the cows gave more milk as the result of the music. The soothing effect of music as a factor in milk production has since been studied scientifically and proved to be sound. The action of the Plains farmer and the results of his observations were published many years ago, and the subject was given wide publicity by Press and radio. A sequel to this was the receipt last week By the Plains farmer of an enquiry for further results from the editor of an important American agricultural journal. His letter stated that he had advanced the theory many years ago and it had been itiore or less ridiculed, but having come across mention of the Hauraki Plains farmer’s results in a recent scientific publication he would like further information in order to substantiate his predictions and confound his critics.