Music and Pets

Getting away from the intensity of performing at the highest level, is important for mental and physical health. Family, sport, rest and moments for downtime are an important part of a well-balanced musicians life! Matthew achieves this balance by spending time with his pets.

Pets bring joy! They give us their love and they are an undeniable antidote to our complex human lives. Tending to the needs of our pets, taps into something that is essential to our existence. To help another creature thrive, in turn, helps us thrive. It also validates us. Our pets are the mirrors that show us how valuable we are and how important we are to another living being.

People’s choice of pet is as unique as each person! Matthew has a trio of bovine steers. Yes, these pets are a little unusual!

Matthew says that his large pets require more space, and more food than a smaller animal! But they respond to human contact much like every other pet does. With confidence and kindness. And spending time with them, helps him unwind.

This video shows Matthew spending time with Fergus! You will notice Victa in the background who is enjoying a snack of grass hay from his feed “bowl”. The audio is Carolyn Morris’ Jazz Waltz performed by Matthew Angus, bassoon and Carolyn Morris, piano.

Pets and Music

Music is truly a universal language. It transcends cultural and linguistic barriers and crosses historical divides. It has the power to evoke feelings that change your emotional and bodily state. As musicians, we know this well. Remarkably, the impact of music extends beyond human experience into the animal world, particularly in cattle.

Studies have shown that dairy cattle respond positively to certain types of music. This auditory enrichment has been found to improve their welfare, and, in turn, enhance their life experience. Research has shown that exposing cows to music can lower their heart rate, creating a sense of calm, especially when their environment is stressful. This leads to a physiological increase in feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine. It can also increase their food intake, a sign that they feel safe and comfortable. And it helps them get along better with other animals in their herd.

The best “moo-sic” to play to cows is tuneful, with a regular slow pulse. They respond positively to descending pitches and consonant chordal structures. They prefer music at 70 decibels, which is a comfortable hearing level for cows. They do actually like Country and Western music! However Matt chooses to play Bach or Vivaldi to his steers!

This research resonates with Matthew, as his three steers are Friesan and Jersey breeds, which are common to dairy farms. Music is beneficial to all animals, just as it is to humans!

Reference: Ciborowska, P., Michalczuk, M., & Bień, D. (2021). The effect of music on livestock: Cattle, poultry, and pigs.Animals, 11(12), 3572.