“In your opinion, are cows racist? » Pauline Garcia, a breeder in Cantal, humorously asks the question to her subscribers on YouTube. Behind this dynamic young woman who is also an animal behaviorist, we see a black and white cow moving worriedly in the straw, as if to say no. Alas, for animal lovers, the answer is yes. Finally, more precisely, they are “robists”: they tend to reject those who do not have the same color of dress as them. But let’s be reassured: Pauline Garcia explains that this bovine xenophobia can be corrected if we accustom the cow, from a very young age, to being around conspecifics of different colors.
In another publication, this time on Instagram, she explains that she prefers to stand in front of her cows and invite them to follow her, rather than pushing them from behind as breeders traditionally do. Behind this method, an inspiring concept of leadership: “The leader is the one towards whom the herd naturally wants to go, without being constrained: this is what establishes its authority. »
An operation reminiscent of that of social networks, where the legitimacy of the influencer is conferred on him by those who follow him. Pauline knows the subject well: she admits to spending around two to two and a half hours per day on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Thanks to her and her colleagues, a very wide audience, often city dwellers, has discovered the world of farming.
“Etienne Agri Youtubeurre”
Even if it means causing abuses, such as recently the phenomenon of pet cows. “As a result of seeing photos of cows on the networks and finding them so cute, some people adopt cows as pets”, explains Pauline Garcia. An approach which does not always take into account the well-being of the animal. “I was shocked by a woman who posted videos where she braided her cow and put ribbons in her hair. A farm animal is not a Barbie doll! » Not everyone has an innate sense of management: “If we don’t know how to manage it, the cow can quickly become unbearable! »
According to one survey carried out in 2020 by Hyltel-Datagri for Terre-net and Agricultural France, two out of three farmers are active on social networks. A turning point in a world traditionally known for its discretion. The crisis shaking the agricultural sector has nothing to do with it. Communicating is, for many breeders, a way of changing the general public’s view of their profession. Etienne Fourmont, called on the networks “Etienne Agri Youtubeurre”, operates a dairy cow farm in Sarthe. With his 120,000 subscribers on YouTube, he is a star in the world of “agri-influencers”. In January, he went to demonstrate for two days with his colleagues. For him, the presence on social networks is part of the continuity of action on the ground: he recalls that the crisis hitting breeders is as psychological as it is economic.
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