World Scene: Vietnam

Mozart makes pigs fatter

A Vietnamese pig farmer says he has found a novel way to boost productivity, by exposing his 3,000 hogs to the soothing melodies of Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert while they have their snouts in the trough.

Nguyen Chi Cong, 44, said he started playing recordings of classical symphonies and sonatas over loudspeakers six years ago for the benefit of his workers, only to find the music also had a positive effect on the pigs.