Farmers Test VR Headsets To Show Cows Greener Pastures

If you like animals, then you'll either udderly love or hate this story. But either way you'll have a cow. According to Forbes, Russian farmers are now testing virtual reality headsets for dairy cows to increase their milk production.

The Moscow Ministry of Agriculture and Food announced that researchers and veterinarians have teamed up to develop special VR headsets for dairy cows living on a farm just outside of Moscow which will show them a warm, green summer field rather than the harsh, wintry chill they exist in. The reasoning is that it will calm them down and reduce anxiety, which leads to more milk production. Seems like a win-win, right?

It sounds cute and heartwarming, but for those with more dystopian philosophies, it begs the question: Do we really want a world where cows have to resort to virtual reality to get their green pasture fix? Sure, it's in Russia, and cows generally see a lot more outdoor time than pigs and chickens, but if this becomes standard practice, it could pave the way for a world where green grass turns to tarmac and cows farm for bovine karma on "Feddit". 

Still, it seems that in this case, it may be a good idea. The cows got headsets designed to fit their ginormous skulls, and "durable enough to withstand farm conditions." The VR simulation featured a warm, mostly red color scheme, "since studies on cattle vision have shown that cows perceive the red part of the visible spectrum better than others."

Yes, those cows are seeing red in their fields of green, plotting their revenge for having to wear giant headsets while their udders churn. But as long as they keep producing more white milk, it's as good as gold to farmers; and that beating black heart of society's industrial farming practices will keep on pumping.