Farm takes musical approach to boost milk yields in heat

Milk production from the dairy cows raised at the Shin Kong Chao Feng Ranch and Resort in Hualien County's Fenglin Township has declined by some 20 percent since July due to temperatures that often shoot up to highs of around 35 degrees Celsius or more when a foehn wind blows, a farm official said.

Taking its cue from research reports from Western countries showing that classical music soothes cows and boosts milk yields, the farm has been playing Bach to its 350 dairy cows since the beginning of the summer in an attempt to help the animals relax during milking and increase their appetites, said Fang Jui-lung, head of the farm's husbandry department.

“In addition to the classical music therapy, keeping the cowshed cool and well-ventilated is vitally important in terms of boosting milk yields,” Fang said.

Of the 350 head of cattle, about 110-180 are actually milked daily, producing roughly 2 tons of milk per day during the summer and 2.5 tons in cooler seasons, Fang said.

The cattle on the farm are Holstein-Friesians, a breed known as the world's highest-production dairy animal. However, the animals are susceptible to heat stress as they are intolerant of high temperatures, according to Fang.

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