US EditionAustrian Cow Becomes First Cattle Ever Documented Using Tools
Veronika, a 13-year-old Swiss Brown cow, uniquely uses different parts of tools to scratch distinct body areas, marking the first recorded flexible tool use in cattle, researchers said.
- On January 19, Current Biology reported that Veronika, a pet Swiss Brown cow, uses both ends of a deck brush to scratch herself, as detailed by the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna.
- Witgar Wiegele first noticed stick-scratching more than 10 years ago, initiating long-term observation that led Alice Auersperg to visit Veronika's farm in Nötsch im Gailtal.
- In controlled trials researchers found Veronika consistently selected the deck brush end suited for body regions, using the bristled end for firm areas and the smooth handle for sensitive parts, manipulating it precisely with her tongue and teeth.
- Authors say this discovery suggests cows' cognitive abilities have been underestimated, marking the first reported tool use in a cow, and the research team plans further study and invites members of the public to report sightings.
- Compared with other species, multipurpose tool use is extraordinarily rare and has been documented convincingly only in chimpanzees; Veronika's behavior prompts comparisons to Gary Larson's 'Cow Tools' cartoon.
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173 Articles
Smartest Cow Ever Uses Tools to Solve Problems and Redefines Cattle Intelligence
A cow in Austria uses a stick to scratch her body in a documented case of tool use. Credit: Antonio J. Osuna-Mascaró et al. / CC BY 4.0 Researchers say a brown Swiss cow in Austria may be forcing science to reconsider what it means to be the smartest cow. The animal, named Veronika, lives in the rural region of Carinthia. Scientists have now documented her using an object as a tool to solve a physical problem, making her the first known cow obse…
Scientists at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna have recently discovered that cows can use tools to their advantage. Currently, Austria's most famous cow, Veronika, uses a broom to scratch her body. And this behavior brought scientists to the town of Nötsch, just a stone's throw from the Slovenian-Austrian border. They found that Veronika knows exactly how to pick up and direct the brush to achieve the desired effect.
Austrian researchers were surprised by how skillfully Veronika knew how to use a brush to scratch different parts of her body.
Let's All Relax A Little Bit About The Cow That Scratched Its Butt With A Broom
I look to keep a good, close eye on animal intelligence. I think this is because I'm a big Planet of the Apes fan, so I'm acutely aware of how animal intelligence can go from simple sign language to taking over San Francisco while on horseback.This is why, when I saw social media blowing up about a cow that was being heralded as the first to ever use a tool, I felt a little sweat on my brow. I mean, there are some cows down the street from where…
"It's Not Involuntary": a Cow Surprises Scientists when They Manage to scratch... with a Brush Broom
Veronika uses the different ends of the broom depending on the surface of her body that she wants to scratch.
Veronika Is First Cow to Be Seen Using a Multi-Purpose Tool, Something Seen Only in Apes
A clever cow called Veronika is the first ever to be recorded using tools—a brush or stick to scratch her back. The old Swiss Brown cow has astonished scientists in Austria with her broom, which she uses as a multi-purpose tool, an “extraordinarily” rare ability that outside of humans has only previously been documented convincingly […] The post Veronika Is First Cow to Be Seen Using a Multi-Purpose Tool, Something Seen Only in Apes appeared fir…
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