Study Claims Happy Cows Produce More Nutritious Milk

Milk is one of the most abundant sources of nutrients, especially for children. But did you also know that the mood of the cow the milk can affect the amount of nutrients the milk can give us? A new study claims that happier cows produce more calcium-rich milk. The finding could lead the way to better a better understanding of cow health and milk production.

According to Indian Express, researchers discovered that infusing a naturally-occurring chemical mostly related with feelings of happiness daily has contributed to the rise in the levels of calcium in the blood of Holstein cows and the milk of Jersey cows that had just given birth.

Even though cows are known to be great sources of dairy products, these animals are still at risk of health complications caused by milking. Experts found that cows can suffer from hypocalcemia or a drop in the levels of calcium in the blood, especially before and after giving birth. As a matter of fact, further examination shows that there are at least 5 to 10 percent of the total number of North American dairy cows that suffer from the condition.

Times of India reported that hypocalcemia is associated with cows that have immunological and digestive problems, decreased pregnancy rates and longer intervals between pregnancies. All of these present a problem for farmers, whose main source of profit depends on cow's regular pregnancies and high-supply of milk rich in calcium.

Although this is the case, there hasn't been a lot of research dedicated to the prevention of hypoglycemia in cows.

A study in rodents showed that serotonin, a chemical commonly associated with feelings of happiness, play a huge role in the maintenance of calcium levels. For the study, a team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, led by Laura Hernandez, studied the likelihood of serotonin to increase the levels of calcium in both the milk and blood of dairy cows. They mixed a chemical that changes to serotonin into 24 dairy cows that is about to give birth. The level of calcium in the cow's milk and blood were then measured.

Results showed that even though the cow's calcium level improved, cows in the study experienced different benefits. For Holstein cows, they experienced higher levels of calcium in their blood but lower in their milk. The level of serotonin in Jersey cows' blood increased the calcium level, but did not do anything to the calcium level in their blood. Fortunately, the production of milk in both cows was not affected, australianetworknews.com reported.

Further studies are still required to determine the cause of the difference between both cow breeds. The next step in the study would require the analysis of how serotonin affects the amount of calcium in the molecules.

"We would also like to work on the possibility of using serotonin as a preventative measure for hypocalcaemia in dairy cows," says Hernandez. "That would allow dairy farmers to maintain the profitability of their businesses whilst making sure their cows stay healthy and produce nutritious milk."