Hope Kerwin

Cows have a much wider field of vision than humans, and it takes longer for their eyes to adjust to changes in light, like going from a dark trailer to a bright barnyard.

Farmers and staff at meat plants can see these differences firsthand through the new augmented reality tool at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Program manager Ashlyn Kirk says understanding a cow's perspective is essential to creating a low-stress environment.

You're trying to imagine how they would experience it, but you don't know unless you see it like they would.

The tool was created by a German software company, and it could help major food companies respond to growing consumer attention on animal welfare.

For NPR News, I'm Hope Kerwin in River Falls, Wisconsin.

This is NPR.