A pet cow named Veronika has demonstrated flexible tool use by selecting different parts of a brush to scratch various body areas, according to researchers. This marks the first documented case in cattle, challenging assumptions about their intelligence. The findings appear in a study published in Current Biology.
Veronika, a Swiss Brown cow living as a companion animal with organic farmer Witgar Wiegele, has captured scientific attention for her tool-using behavior. Over a decade ago, Wiegele observed her picking up sticks to scratch her body. Videos of this led researchers to conduct experiments with a deck brush placed in different positions. Veronika consistently chose the bristled end for firmer areas like her back and the smoother handle for sensitive lower regions. She also adapted her movements, using broader strokes for upper body areas and precise ones for others. Antonio J. Osuna-Mascaró, one of the researchers, stated, 'We show that a cow can engage in genuinely flexible tool use. Veronika is not just using an object to scratch herself. She uses different parts of the same tool for different purposes, and she applies different techniques depending on the function of the tool and the body region.' Alice M.I. Auersperg, a cognitive biologist at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, noted, 'When I saw the footage, it was immediately clear that this was not accidental. This was a meaningful example of tool use in a species that is rarely considered from a cognitive perspective.' Auersperg added, 'The findings highlight how assumptions about livestock intelligence may reflect gaps in observation rather than genuine cognitive limits.' Despite lacking hands, Veronika manipulates tools with her mouth in what researchers call egocentric tool use. This flexible, multi-purpose behavior was previously documented only in chimpanzees among non-human animals. The team attributes her abilities to her enriched environment with human interactions and access to objects. They now seek reports of similar behaviors in other cows to determine if it's more common. Osuna-Mascaró said, 'Because we suspect this ability may be more widespread than currently documented, we invite readers who have observed cows or bulls using sticks or other handheld objects for purposeful actions to contact us.'
