Farmer Does a Matrix, Has Cows Fitted With VR Goggles to Make Them Think They Are Outside in Pastures

Well, folks, we’ve now passed the point of no return. Cattle breeder Izzet Kocak realized that his cows were depressed during the winter months, so he came up with an unusual solution. According to the Turkish farmer, he began strapping VR headsets to his cows so that they will produce more milk.

That’s right, they really did a Matrix on the cows, without the slightest sense of irony. While Kocak has 180 cows on his farm, he (fortunately) isn’t subjecting all of them to daily VR sessions. So far, the farmer has used two head-mounted displays to make two of his cows think that they’re outside grazing on a meadow. Is it safe to say that we have officially entered the Mootrix?

Nevertheless, the farmer says that the results have been promising, saying “they are watching a green pasture and it gives them an emotional boost. They are less stressed”. Apparently, lowering the stress levels of the cows has increased their milk production from 22 liters to 27 liters. The experiment has been so successful that Kocak plans on buying 10 more headsets in the near future.

When it comes to VR and the Metaverse,  it doesn’t take a genius to realize that living in a virtual world 24/7 isn’t the greatest thing for the human psyche. Let alone that of an animal. In actuality, wouldn’t it just be easier to no keep the animals caged up? Perhaps that would help to reduce their stress levels.

Regardless of the philosophical implications, the practical reality is even more ludicrous. The truth is that you can’t just strap a pair of human VR headsets to a cow and expect to be able to construct a 3D image. Unless we discover a cow with four eyes, all they are seeing is 4 blurry images of something green. It seems like people will invent any excuse not to give the cows a remotely dignified life.

Cover Photo: Anadolu Agency / Contributor (Getty Images)