A farm lab milking parlor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia, offers a case study in cow perception. Soft lighting and a skid-proof floor help cows feel secure. But Grandin says that a cow entering the area would stop dead in its tracks because of the discarded soda bottle (foreground). Although barely noticeable to most people, a stray bit of litter can be frightening to a cow. The slow movement of the blades in the ceiling fans could also startle a cow not familiar with this facility.