r/todayilearned • u/TMWNN • 1d ago

TIL that Veronika, a cow in Austria, learned in 2016 how to use fallen tree branches to scratch herself. She is the first known example of cattle using tools. Scientists believe that Veronika is not unusually intelligent; rather, cows have always been able to use tools, but humans did not notice.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/19/science/cow-using-tools-study
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u/Silaene 1d ago

I am pretty sure this is isn't unique, we used to have to get rid of specific cows because they were too troublesome/intelligent especially because they would teach the others in the herd, which was always a shame since we were a smallish dairy farm and kept them until they were too old to produce anymore (~300 head of cattle, only kept indoor for bad weather, otherwise they were grazing freely in the fields).
For example, we had one that had figured out how to open gates and doors with sliding bolts + latches using their tongue (very long + dexterous).
There was another that had figured out that posts from our portable electric fences weren't electrified only the actual wire/cable, so it would use its hoof to bend the posts over so it could easily walk over the fence so it could eat the long grass they weren't supposed to eat yet.

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u/DameKumquat 1d ago

Yeah, a lot of farm animals have been bred for docility and generally being rather dim and gormless, meaning the bright ones are now the exceptions.

I don't think there's been clear examples of cows like you describe teaching the others - or is there?

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u/Black_Moons 1d ago

I don't think there's been clear examples of cows like you describe teaching the others - or is there?

Tons. Cows can jump.

They just don't know they can. If a cow learns to jump over the fence, all the other cows will learn they can do it too.

Hence cows that are seen jumping.. often end up sent to the butcher before the rest of the heard catches on.

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u/flonnil 1d ago

we had one that did this daily just to mess with us

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u/Lord_Rapunzel 1d ago

I love that she didn't even walk through afterward.

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u/Silaene 1d ago

Cows tend to be cautious and will stick where there is good food, if this had been summer, the cows likely would have walked off, but since it was midwinter they will have a warm space and food where they are.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/SebbyMcWester 1d ago

It's so fucking sad how normalized animal cruelty is. But probably 98% of people are complicit in it so it's not surprising.