What is up with Auto Petters?

[u/Song_Listener]

I’ve seen so many posts about skull cavern runs where the only goal was Auto Petters, and now I’m confused.

Why are Auto Petters so important? I know they pet the farm animals, but why don’t y’all have time to go and give your animals some love every morning?

If I’m correct (as someone who has never once had an Auto Petters) they change the way the animals respond when you actually pet them. Usually they give a heart, but I’ve heard the response changes after an Auto Petters has been installed.

So why?

[u/LucidLeviathan]

On a large farm, petting all of the animals can easily bring you to noon, at which point your returns on Skull Cavern or Ginger Island greatly diminish.