Do Happy Cows Really Produce More Milk?

Milk mustaches probably make you smile, but what makes cattle happy? While you may not see dairy cows flashing toothy grins, they do have feelings and moods. But do those moods affect how much milk they make?

In 2000, the California Milk Advisory Board began a popular advertising campaign for Real California Cheese. The commercials promoted that “great cheese comes from happy cows.” This sparked the question of whether or not a cow’s state of mind could affect the milk they produce. Let’s explore where milk comes from, differences in milk production, and if any of it is actually tied to happy cows.

Where Does Milk Come From?

Five types of animals are responsible for most of the world’s milk production (cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep, and camels), but cattle are by far the most productive. In fact, dairy herds make 80% of the world’s milk! In North America, only 0.5% of milk is produced by dairy animals other than cattle. That makes cows critical for keeping 99.5% of dairy products available in the grocery store.

Different breeds of cattle produce different amounts and types of milk. The popular black-and-white Holstein can produce nine to 10 gallons of milk every day (or about 2,674 gallons per each 305-day lactation cycle). In addition to making more milk than any other breed of cow, Holsteins are also the most prolific in the United States. Ninety percent of the nine million dairy cows in the country are Holsteins.

Where other breeds may lack in quantity, they make up for in richness. Jersey and Guernsey cows only produce between four to six gallons of milk per day. However, the butterfat content in their milk is much higher than that of a Holstein, making it ideal for cheese, butter, cream, and other high-fat dairy products.

Whether a cow makes 10 gallons or four, farmers want to ensure they get as much milk as possible out of each cow to ensure maximum profits. But what are the best ways to get the most milk? Researchers say, “keep cows happy.”

Do Happy Cows Make More Milk?

Just like a person’s mood can affect how productive their day is, a cow’s feelings can in fact affect their milk production. When a cow is unhappy due to stress, their milk production can suffer. This is because stressed cows produce more cortisol.

Cortisol is a hormone that is released from the adrenal glands when animals are stressed. In cows, cortisol has been linked to greater disease susceptibility due to suppressed immune systems. It can also affect reproduction rates and suppress milk production. Long-term stress in particular increases inflammation, raising the risk of diseases such as mastitis. Diseases can also lower a cow’s appetite, causing them to eat less. One study of beef cattle found that stressed cows with higher cortisol levels spent less time eating and more time vocalizing than more relaxed cows. Dairy cows need about 100 pounds of food per day to support full lactation, so a reduction in caloric intake results in lower milk production.

Since cows that are less stressed produce more milk, keeping cows happy is an easy way for farmers to ensure maximum milk production.

What Makes Cows Happy?

One thing that makes cows happy is a personal touch. Researchers from Newcastle University found that cows with names produced 54% more milk than cows without names. This resulted in up to an additional 74 gallons per year. Farmers who name their cows spend more energy and time focusing on the individual animals and their personalities, which in turn relaxes the cows and makes them happy.

Personal attention is also tied to better animal welfare. Ensuring cows have comfortable housing, good veterinary care, quality nutrition, and suitable hydration lowers the animals’ stress levels. These lowered stress levels correlate with lower cortisol levels.

Increased personal attention worked for Vega, a cow in Sweden that produced a record 500% more than the average lifetime yield of a dairy cow. Her owner said that good animal care was the cause of her high milk production and ability to get pregnant again rapidly after calving. The farm employs a holistic approach to care and puts an emphasis on ensuring cows are healthy and happy. As a result, the farmer estimated that 100 happy cows could earn an extra $18,600 per year.   

Another factor that can lower stress levels is interaction. Dairy cows are social and enjoy spending time with their friends. A happy cow will interact socially with other members of the herd and seek out the interaction.

Cows also enjoy physical contact. A recent trend towards “cow comfort” has seen several giant cow brushes introduced to the market. Cows rub against the brushes to scratch themselves, be enriched mentally, and get massaged and groomed. One study from Cornell University found that farms that had cow brushes saw a 3.5% increase in lactation.

It’s true; Happy cows make more milk, which makes farmers (and consumers) happy as well.