New Zealand scientists have devised a method to find out what a cow needs and wants by making them work for food and shelter.
AgResearch scientists developed a custom-made apparatus that lets them ask cows to work for their needs, which they have been testing at a dairyfarm near Hamilton.
Senior scientist Dr Lindsay Matthews said it was the first time anyone had attempted to do this kind of research with a large operation of cows.
"It shows us whether they are willing to pay the price to obtain resources," he told AgResearch's publication intouch.
"It's an important question scientifically, so we can identify their requirements and ensure they have a good quality of life."
The apparatus was designed to give the scientists an insight into the cow's subjective experiences.
It included a moving rod which would guide the cows away from food and shelter, forcing them to walk back to the same place to access the food or shelter again.
"By exposing the animals to artificial wind and rain, we find out how important the shelter is under even more challenging circumstances," Dr Matthews said.
He and colleague Dr Adele Arnold quantified the results with mathematical equations and had learnt such things as how a cow's desire for food changed according to its body condition or where it was in its production cycle.
