Around this time of year, life in Russia swings from one extreme to the other: from sunshine to snow; green to grey; apricots to atrophied apples.

The adjustment can cause emotional strain and illnesses in the best of us. But it’s not, apparently, only the humans who suffer.

According to veterinary experts, the country’s 20 million-strong bovine population is particularly susceptible to a bout of the winter blues.

Luckily, scientists now believe they have a solution to their Russian winter problem in the form of virtual-reality glasses.

The exact design of the prototype kit is top secret. But some details have already leaked. According local media, the wrap-around glasses boast a “unique form” that has been adapted to the cow’s anatomical structure.

They draw on experimental data that shows cows are better at processing red than they are blues and greens. As a result the movie showreels tend to focus on grass – the lovely, green, summer, meadowy sort.

A farm in northwest Moscow has already begun testing the prototypes with positive results.

Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Show all 10 1 /10 Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Shri Krishna Gaushala houses 8,400 cows who have been abandoned by their owners or picked up from the streets of the capital Adam Withnall/The Independent Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Managers admit the shelter cannot provide the cows the recommended 3.5m2 space per animal Adam Withnall/The Independent Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi A special shed gives extra space to cows that are blind, reducing the risk that they hurt themselves or each other Adam Withnall/The Independent Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi The animals are given a daily diet of mixed greens, processed by a team at the shelter and distributed to all the sheds Adam Withnall/The Independent Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Staff even provide the cows with cooked meals - huge cauldrons bake bulgur wheat over the course of a full day Adam Withnall/The Independent Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Shri Krishna Gaushala is one of the only shelters in Delhi that has its own fully functioning 'cow hospital' Adam Withnall/The Independent Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi The hospital has an operating theatre and four full time vets, and performs surgery to remove plastic from stomachs of around 12 cows a month Adam Withnall/The Independent Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi The shelter also provides education to 65 children from poor local families at a school on site Adam Withnall/The Independent Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi At the Gopal Gau Sadan shelter, new arrivals are kept apart from other cows in a special enclosure for a month Adam Withnall/The Independent Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Inside the cow shelters of Delhi Space is more cramped for cows who are exhibiting sickness. The shelter doesn't have its own hospital, so send cows to other facilities for major operations Adam Withnall/The Independent

Almost universally, its cows have become calmer, with improved mood. Researchers say they will continue to monitor the effects on overall milk production.

In a statement published on Monday, the Moscow region’s agricultural authorities said its milk farmers were drawing on the “best of international practice” in a bid to improve the wellbeing of their cattle. Farms are also installing audio equipment to play calming classical music, the department noted.

Bovine music therapy is not a particularly new technology in Russia. In 2013, a farm in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, reported what it considered to be the ideal audio protocol. The regime it settled on was the following: Tchaikovsky while grazing; Mozart while sleeping; and 1980s pop or contemporary instrumental while milking.

Such technological solutions lie at the heart of Russia’s push to become an international agricultural powerhouse. Already the country can boast of considerable success in turning around the historically languid sector. Agricultural exports are now more valuable to Russia in budget terms than arms sales.

But for social media’s more acerbic tongues, the bovine VR intervention had obvious parallels to how the country’s leadership preferred to deal with its citizens.