Do cows com-MOO-nicate?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Dr. Dolittle can talk to the animals – why can’t we? This would be great for dairy farmers tending their cows. Because happy cows make happy milk!
Alexandra Green from University of Sydney and her team wanted to hear what cows have to say.
They recorded over three hundred sounds from cows and noted the situation. Was the cow being fed? Was she isolated from the herd? The team carefully analyzed the sampled sound bits to look for patterns in their tones.
Results? Using the recordings, Green determined whether cows were excited, aroused, or stressed. She also noticed that each cow expresses her feelings and emooo-tions with her OWN unique voice! She’s not just a face in the herd!
By compiling and translating different types of mooing, scientists hope to give every Bessie, Bossie and Elsie a voice. Think: Google translate for cows! This way, farmers can better understand and care for them individually.
For once, these cows can finally feel HERD!