The Cows will be milked to the sound of moo-sic

Saturday 15 June 2019

To mark five years since its inception, Guernsey’s School of Popular Music is hoping to set a rather unusual world record…

The SOPM Voices Group will be singing to a Guernsey Cow while it is being milked next month, in the hope of beating the record for the most amount of milk milked in 60 seconds.

The world record for the most amount of milk produced by a dairy cow in one minute is 1.15 litres. There'll be an attempt to beat that on Saturday 21 July at the Vintage Agricultural Show.

It'll be one of five events taking place to commemorate five years since the launch of SOPM. Tyler Edmonds, the Managing Director of SOPM came up with the idea whilst researching about how cows produce milk at a faster rate when music is playing.

“We thought ‘perfect!’ and merged our love of Guernsey with music – and what is more iconic than the Guernsey Cow!” he added.

Pictured: Tyler Edmonds.  

In 2001, a psychological study conducted at the University of Leicester showed that slow music in fact increases cows’ milk production by 3% where fast music has no effect. According to the study, it is easy for cows to release oxytocin when they listen to music, a hormone related to the milking process. Listening to music de-stresses the cows and enables them to produce milk at a faster rate. 

Rap and techno music have proved ineffective to milk production while the most effective songs include ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ by Simon & Garfunkel, 'Moon River' by Danny Williams and ‘Everybody Hurts’ by R.E.M.

Local Farmer Rodney Dyke will be hand-milking the winning cow on the day, with auditions for the chosen Guernsey Cow having already begun. 

“It is our belief that with the collective power of music we can help push Rodney and his dairy cow over the line and claim the World Record,” said Mr Edmonds.

He added; “we really hope we manage to smash it! If anyone wants to get involved by becoming an event partner and sponsoring our attempt, or by joining in and singing on the day then just contact the school.”

To mark the 5^thanniversary, SOPM also have a concert in the pipeline as well as an exciting partnership with BBC’s Children in Need.