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There are, undoubtedly, myriad benefits to be reaped from the ancient Chinese martial art of tai chi. Increased milk production is not usually regarded as one of them. But every morning for the past six months, in his blue overalls and Wellington boots, Rob Taverner, a dairy farmer from Devon, has been practicing tai chi in front of his herd of cows.
“Animals are very receptive to human moods and tai chi is all about leaving your problems behind and getting into a better zone,” he said. “The happier I am, the happier the cows are. And the happier they are, the more milk they produce.”
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Anyone interested in seeing more farmers doing Tai Chi, and trying it out for themselves, should check out www.love-om.com, the new website from the Federation of Organic Milk Groups. There's a series of seven different video demonstrations by farmers from across the UK who have taken up Tai Chi to increase the levels of wellbeing in their milk for wellbeing in organic milk - for us, for the environment and for the cows.
Enjoy!
Melita Swan, Bristol,
I'm delighted to see Rob enjoying his daily Tai Chi with his cows and I can entirely understand that the cows would benefit as well. We have found that animals are attracted to people doing Tai Chi and quickly pick up its sense.
However, I would suggest that Rob watches his stances as, in the photo, he is over extending his knee. If he goes on doing this, he could risk damaging his knee.
Maybe he was just excited at being featured nationally!
Well done in spreading the message.
Keith Foster, Chesham,