Cuddling cows 'beneficial all the way round'

Lawrence Fox, founder of Cow Cuddling Co in Cairns, Queensland, says getting cosy with cows is "beneficial all the way round" and a great way to boost mental wellbeing for humans.

Fox was a business strategist, but he burned out and went to a farm to recover.

He found spending time with cows was "the same as with a therapy dog or cat but it's a much more pronounced effect within the body".

"So, the large animals with warm body temperature and the slow heart rate, slows our heart rate down and relaxes us, calms us down and we get an oxytocin release," Fox told Breakfast. "And that neurochemical release means we have very strong bonds with not just the cows we're dealing with at the time but the people we're enjoying that experience with."

"I really think everyone should have a go if you can, if you know someone who's got some beautiful cows - and I think all cows are beautiful."

Fox said the cows love it too, and react just like dogs when they're scratched.

"It's beneficial all the way round but I'd love to see how we can help more people in more ways using this sort of therapy," he said.

Invercargill dairy farmer Tangaroa Walker backed the idea, saying his health and wellbeing "definitely" benefited from being around cattle.

"It brings you to a place, we talk about mindfulness a lot when we're talking about mental health and it makes you sit in the moment," he said of spending time with his cows.

"I think when it comes to working with animals - any animal whether it's a dog, cat, cows, for us cows because we've got about 700 of them - it definitely brings you to a place.

"Often the mind can wander, worrying about the future and worrying about the past, but yeah, brings you to that place where you can just sit and observe and awakens all the senses, I think."

Walker admitted he wasn't sure about cuddling cows, but said he formed connections with his herd in another way.

"All the cows we know by udder, which is a bit different, isn't it?"