---
title: "Russian Farmers Are Strapping VR Headsets to Dairy Cows"
description: "Russian farmers strapped VR headsets onto their cows to see if pleasant virtual worlds would improve their milk. So far, all they know is the cows liked it."
date: "2019-11-27"
modified: "2019-11-27"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/russian-farmers-vr-cows"
categories:
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "Farming"
  - "the digest"
  - "virtual reality"
---

# Russian Farmers Are Strapping VR Headsets to Dairy Cows

![Russian farmers strapped VR headsets onto their cows to see if pleasant virtual worlds would improve their milk. So far, all they know is the cows liked it.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/russian-farmers-vr-cows-happy.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image:  Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Moscow Region \</em\>*

## Bovine Escapism

In a bid to get more and better milk out of their cows, Russian farmers have taken to strapping specially-modified virtual reality headsets on their cows' heads and giving them relaxing, pleasant virtual experiences.

It's not clear whether the milk improved as a result, [according to *Engadget*](<https://www.engadget.com/2019/11/26/cows-with-vr-headsets/>), but the cows seemed happier while looking at a VR field than they were while faced with the grim reality that they were trapped in a crowded farm.

## Going Back In

The farmers found that the cows were less stressed while using VR, per *Engadget*. And now they plan to launch a more robust study to see if jacking cows into the matrix actually improves the quality or volume of their milk.

And if that doesn't work, maybe the farmers could try letting the cows roam around an actual field.

**READ MORE:** [Cows wearing VR headsets might produce better milk](<https://www.engadget.com/2019/11/26/cows-with-vr-headsets/>) \[*Engadget*\]

**More on dairy:** *[Scientists Created Dairy-Free Ice Cream From GM Yeast](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/dairy-free-ice-cream-gm-yeast>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)