If you're stressed out and not enjoying anything, there's a great new spa. Its leads have four legs and are cooing
Relaxation trends can be different. Some people prefer meditation, others like to take nature walks, others find the increasingly popular anti-stress colouring books a great way to unwind - simply put, there are no limits to imagination and creativity. And so it's no wonder that people turn to their pets for reassurance. Or animals in general. For example, yoga with goats became a hit a few years ago. Cuddling with dogs (it's no coincidence that they are regular visitors to retirement homes, for example) or cats has undeniable therapeutic effects. But since modern times call for modern challenges, today the focus is squarely on cuddling with cows...
It might seem that the covid age gives room for real craziness. But the truth is that cow-hugging is a practice that has a tradition that goes back more than a decade, with its roots in the Netherlands. There it has become a hit under the name 'koe knuffelen' and, as the practice suggests, actually cuddling cows helps to reduce perceived stress, but also to improve mood. "It's actually a positive energy exchange. The person cuddling the cow relaxes because the cow's body is warmer than the human body. Sometimes they even focus on its heartbeat, which in turn is slower, which leads to calming. It's ultimately a win-win situation," explains the Dutch farmer, who says he can also read the cow's body language. "When they half-close their eyes and keep their ears down - sometimes they even put their head in a person's lap - cows are also maximally relaxed," he also describes, adding that many people who have already tried hugging a cow feel a much greater effect than they ever expected.
Cow studies
And a certain "impressionology" (please don't associate it with milking!) is confirmed by science. According to experts, the higher body temperature of cows (around 39 degrees) and their slower heart rate actually reduce human stress by increasing the level of oxytocin, a hormone released during social bonding. According to a 2007 study by French and Austrian scientists, even "cows show signs of pleasure and relaxation when people hug, massage or stroke them". However, the sociability of the cows also matters, as some may leave the relaxation session earlier. Others are not even suitable for hugging therapy. "The farmer can tell if the cow has the right temperament to be hugged. It's simply something that's already in her nature," says Kastanje Hoeve, owner of the Dutch dairy farm Kastanje Hoeve, adding that on his own farm he has a group of cows that are cuddled in this way. "These are cows that are used to human contact, a good cuddle cow is usually a bit older, very patient and likes to cuddle with people," he explains.
According to Prairie Conlon, a professional counsellor and animal mental health expert from CertaPet, then, hugging cows can also be a healthy way to increase the activity and flow of endorphins, the happiness hormones. "I've witnessed the wonderful effects of psychotherapy with the help of horses - and I have to say it didn't involve riding them. It was simply spending time with them and thinking about their movements and behaviour," she says, adding that there is no reason why something like this couldn't work with cows.
On the other hand, there are those who wonder why people suddenly need to hug cows, and ask whether the same effect could not be achieved by hugging a dog or a cat, animals that are not only more "accessible" to humans, but also undoubtedly less dangerous. But the cow wellness advocates counter that it has already been proven that the calming effect of establishing an emotional bond with animals increases hand in hand with their size. Simply put - the bigger the animal, the better the anti-stress effect.
Old McDonald snake and farm...
So while cow hugging is becoming a wellness trend, it goes hand in hand with earnings. In the US, they charge $75 or more for "time with the cow". However, it must be added that the original intention of cow hugging has turned the whole idea into a much bigger project. The farmers decided to offer people the opportunity to get to know and participate in farm life and to spend more time with the cows than just cuddling together.
There is even a movement in the Netherlands to bring nature and rural life closer to urban people. Which is undoubtedly quite a good thing, because, as the story goes, many city children have got the impression from advertisements, for example, that the normal colour of cows is purple. Exposure to 'harsh reality' (and brown or spotted cows) can thus be a rather welcome epiphany for them.
Regardless of whether you have a cow on hand to hug at the moment, the truth is that, especially at the moment, it's quite a good idea to get out into the countryside and enjoy a sunny day if possible. But unless you know of a friendly farmer who will lend you a cow to pet (and such farms are springing up all over the world like mushrooms after a rain, even in Switzerland and many US states), you shouldn't go near cows running loose in the pasture. And not even for the purely pious purpose of mingling souls.
