7 months ago
Austrian Cow Veronika Uses Brush as Tool
Scientists have discovered that a cow named Veronika can use a brush to scratch herself.
This is the first time cattle have been seen using a tool.
Veronika curls her tongue around the brush handle and moves it to different parts of her body.
She even adjusts her grip if the brush slips.
Veronika lives in Austria and is owned by a farmer named Witgar Wiegele.
Researchers were amazed to see her using the brush and studied her behavior.
They found that she can scratch herself 76 times with the brush.
Veronika also has other pet-like behaviors, like recognizing her owner's voice and enjoying being petted.
This shows that cows might be smarter than we thought.
Veronika, a 13-year-old cow in Austria, uses a brush to scratch herself, marking the first experimentally verified instance of cattle using a tool.
Veronika curls her tongue around the brush handle and moves it to different parts of her body, adjusting her grip if the brush slips.
She was never trained to use the brush and has shown other pet-like behaviors, such as recognizing her owner's voice and enjoying being petted.
Researchers observed Veronika using a deck brush to scratch herself 76 times, readjusting her grip as needed.
The findings were published in the journal Current Biology, highlighting the cognitive abilities of cattle that have been overlooked for thousands of years.
- Who
- Veronika, a 13-year-old cow owned by Witgar Wiegele in Austria
- What
- Veronika uses a brush to scratch herself, demonstrating tool use in cattle
- Where
- Austria
- When
- The findings were published on Monday in the journal Current Biology
- Why
- Veronika uses the brush to reach and scratch various parts of her body
Cows' Intelligence
Human Perception of Cows
Cognitive Abilities
Cows' Intelligence
Cows, like Veronika, possess cognitive abilities that have been underestimated, as demonstrated by her tool use and other intelligent behaviors.
Human Perception of Cows
Humans have historically underestimated cows' intelligence, focusing primarily on their utility for meat and milk rather than their cognitive capabilities.
Key facts
- Cow's Name
- Veronika
- Age
- 13 years old
- Location
- Austria
- Owner
- Witgar Wiegele
- Researchers
- Alice Auersperg, Antonio J. Osuna-Mascaró
- Journal
- Current Biology
- Tool Used
- Deck brush
- Scratches
- 76 times
Timeline
Cows link human acts, like 'Poetry In Motion' milking, to joy.
They also pair music with positive experiences, like milking.
Veronika, an Austrian cow, innovates: first to use a brush for scratching.
Quotes
Witgar Wiegele
Owner of Veronika the cow and a baker in a remote mountain village in southern Austria
“Over the years, the brown bovid's technique improved. She could pick up objects as large as a broom or rake and move them around with her prehensile tongue, changing their length and orientation to ensure the best possible scratch.”
NDTV
“When Veronika had an itch, she would grab a stick in her mouth and use it to scratch her body.”
NDTV
Dorothy Fragaszy
Comparative psychologist at the University of Georgia who studies behavior in monkeys
“I'm so glad someone found this.”
NDTV
“I think this will make scientists pay a lot more attention to cows and other livestock.”
NDTV
Jan Langbein
Applied ethologist at the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology
“These are clever and emotional animals. They deserve better than what we give them.”
NDTV
Sources
How smart are cows? How Veronika, a broom-using bovine, has shocked scientists
Meet Veronika the cow, who can fit a brush in her mouth to SCRATCH THAT ITCH
Meet Veronika, First Cow In Human History Known To Use Tools
Video: A Cow Just Used A Tool. Meet Itch-Scratching Veronika
