Looking to prevent cows from being bitten by insects, a team of Japanese researchers — including Tomoki Kojima from the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization — took inspiration from the effects of zebra stripes and experimented by painting black-and-white stripes on Japanese Black cows, an approach that won them the Ig Nobel Prize in Biology, NHK World reported.
The awarding ceremony for the satirical version of the Nobel Prize took place on Sept. 18 at Boston University.
The researchers discovered that non-painted cows attracted more than twice as many biting flies as painted cows. Another finding was that the painted animals performed fewer insect-repelling actions — such as moving their heads or stomping their legs — than their unpainted counterparts. According to the team, their findings could be used to reduce stress on livestock and to develop alternative protection methods.
The media outlet noted that this marks the 19th consecutive year that the country’s researchers have been honored with the Ig Nobel Prize.
