Cow Named Veronika Uses Tools Like a Chimpanzee

Veronika the cow just rewrote what scientists thought they knew about livestock intelligence.

The elderly Swiss Brown cow living on an Austrian farm has become the first bovine ever documented using tools. She picks up brushes and sticks with her mouth to scratch herself, adjusting her technique based on which body part needs attention.

Organic farmer Witgar Wiegele noticed Veronika's unusual behavior over a decade ago but didn't realize how special it was. He keeps her as a companion rather than for milk or meat, treating her as part of the family.

When cognitive biologist Professor Alice Auersperg saw video footage of Veronika, she knew immediately this was something extraordinary. She and colleague Dr. Antonio Osuna-Mascaró traveled to meet Veronika and ran 70 systematic tests to document her abilities.

The results, published in Current Biology, reveal sophisticated behavior rarely seen in the animal kingdom. When scratching her broad, firm back, Veronika grabs the bristled end of a deck brush and uses wide, forceful movements.

But when targeting softer, more sensitive areas of her lower body, she switches to the smooth stick end. Her movements become slower, more careful, and highly controlled.

Why This Inspires

Veronika's story challenges assumptions about farm animals that have stood for generations. Her flexible, multi-purpose tool use expands the known range of animals capable of this complex behavior beyond humans and great apes.

The researchers believe Veronika's unique circumstances allowed her intelligence to flourish. Most cows don't live long enough to develop such skills, and few have access to varied objects in complex environments with regular human interaction.

Dr. Osuna-Mascaró notes that Veronika must overcome significant physical constraints, manipulating tools with her mouth rather than hands. What makes her behavior remarkable is how she compensates, anticipating outcomes and adjusting her grip accordingly.

The team suspects tool use in livestock may be more common than anyone realizes. They're asking farmers and animal owners worldwide to share observations of cows or bulls using objects purposefully, believing many similar cases have simply gone unnoticed because no one thought to look.

Veronika proves that given time, enrichment, and attention, farm animals can reveal cognitive abilities we never knew existed.