Latest relaxation trend: Cow hugging

DONAHUE, IA (WTVD) -- Feeling stressed? a growing trend out of the Netherlands could help you relax: Cow hugging.

Cow hugging, or "koe knuffelen," is a wellness trend that has been gaining support over the last several years.

The idea behind the trend rests in oxytocin. That's the hormone sometimes called the bonding hormone.

Oxytocin is most known for its role in childbirth and lactation. However, the hormone has more recently been seen as playing a role in social bonding.

Some research showed that humans and dogs had increased levels of oxytocin after petting and cuddling.

If it works with dogs, why not cows? That's the basic principle behind the cow hugging trend.

"Who needs a stress ball, when you have a cow?" Iowa dairy farmer John Maxwell said. "The best things in life are right here amongst the cows."

The cow cuddling trend has spread around the world with many dairy farms offering cow-hugging sessions as ways for people to relax and de-stress.