Mozart makes for fatter pigs

Agence France Presse -- English
January 15, 2007 Monday 9:07 AM GMT
LENGTH: 181 words
HEADLINE: Mozart makes for fatter pigs, swears Vietnamese farmer
DATELINE: HANOI, Jan 15 2007

A Vietnamese pig farmer says he has found a novel way to boost productivity, by exposing his 3,000 hogs to the melodies of Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert while they have their snouts in the trough.

Nguyen Chi Cong, 44, said he started playing recordings of classical symphonies and sonatas over loudspeakers six years ago for the benefit of his workers, only to find the music also had a soothing effect on the pigs.

"I saw that my pigs started eating more and that they were gaining weight faster than usual," said Cong, who told AFP he now blasts his animals with the tunes of the great European composers daily from 7-11 am and 2-4 pm.

"I think I am the first farmer in Vietnam to apply this technique."

Cong, who has run the farm in southern Dong Nai province near Ho Chi Minh City for the past 22 years, conceded that his unusual method lacked scientific proof, but said it had nonetheless stirred much interest in the region.

"Local farmers come here to learn from my experience," he said. "I think that music is good not just for pigs but also for other domestic animals."