The humans who take care of cows on our farms have learned that bovines don't change their clocks.

We asked our cooperative's veterinarian, Guy Jodarski, what he thought of farm animals and time changes, "I think most of the farmers stay on schedule by starting 1 hour ‘earlier’ (that is, by the clock) when we spring forward. In fact, I once knew a farmer that didn't ever change the clock back in fall, so they were ‘ahead of schedule’ 1 hour for the winter until the time change the following spring."

“When we were milking through daylight saving time changes, we would usually split the difference, going a half hour earlier or later depending on the time of year,” said Brent and Regina Beidler, recently retired Organic Valley dairy farmers from Vermont (also featured in the video above). “This was a very small change for the cows and easier on us too. Organic cows are often not stretched to the top of their milk-making potential, so although they are creatures of habit, there’s some flexibility. There are many times when haying keeps someone out later than usual or you milk a little earlier to make it to a gathering, and the cows are fine with that.”

The caretakers adapt to the time change, and the cows are none the wiser.

Or maybe they are. Maybe they see that their farmer is just a little bit more tired today. The bags under the eyes are just a little bit darker. Luckily, cows can easily brighten the day of a bleary-eyed farmer.

Organic cow bonding with Organic Valley farmer out in the field.

Cows can cheer up just about anyone!

Some people have decided to join the cows in their refusal to obey time changes. In the Plain community, a term used to describe Amish, Mennonite, and other similar communities, they don't shift to daylight saving time at all! In fact, they keep their clocks the same year-round.

Maybe the cows have it right. It might be time to do away with changing the clock. After all, time is relative, as they say.

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