A study is suggesting exposure to farm-like house dust may reduce asthma development in urban-living children.

The research, by the Finnish National Institute of Health and Welfare, found asthma has been linked with urbanisation.

It suggests it may be because of the loss of critical house dust microbial species still present on farms.

However, it's unclear whether those bacteria are associated with reducing the prevalence of asthma when present in urban environments.

Comedian and rural liver Te Radar is says there is nothing new in this study around asthma.

He told Mike Hosking that he thinks it is the vibe and the atmosphere.

"There's all the little kinds of microbes and dusts flying around. There's a long history of people being told to put their hands in the soil to cure their depression."

Te Radar says that people don't have to go to the farm to get the benefit, as they can have the farm in their backyard.

"You can have a cuddle a cow campaign, have a cow in their backyards, or lie with a lamb ."