This Cow Just Changed What We Know About Livestock Intelligence

Cattle are not typically included in conversations about advanced cognition. A newly published study suggests that may be a mistake.

Researchers have documented a Swiss Brown cow deliberately using and adapting a tool to meet different physical needs—behavior that meets scientific criteria for intentional, flexible tool use. The findings expand the short list of nonhuman animals known to demonstrate multipurpose tool use and challenge long-held assumptions about livestock intelligence.

Observing Tool Use in a Cow

The subject of the study, a cow named Veronika, had been observed repeatedly using sticks to scratch hard-to-reach areas of her body. Researchers from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna recognized the behavior as purposeful rather than accidental and designed a controlled experiment to assess its complexity.

Veronika was presented with an asymmetrical tool: a deck broom with stiff bristles on one end and a smooth handle on the other. Over seven experimental sessions, the tool was offered in randomized orientations to determine whether the cow would consistently use it in a goal-directed way.

Adapting the Tool to the Task

Across 70 trials, Veronika used the broom repeatedly and selectively. She applied the bristle end to thicker-skinned areas such as the back and flanks, while using the handle end on more sensitive regions including the abdomen, udder, and perineal area.

Her movements also varied by context. Broader, less controlled motions were used with the bristles, while more precise and targeted movements were observed when using the handle. This pattern demonstrates not only intentional tool use but also the ability to adapt different features of a single object for different functions.

This type of behavior—known as multipurpose tool use—is rare in nonhuman animals and has been consistently documented primarily in primates.

Why This Matters for Veterinary Medicine

Although the tool use observed was egocentric (directed toward the animal’s own body), it required planning, motor control, and anticipation of outcomes—particularly notable given the physical constraints of manipulating objects with the mouth rather than hands.

The researchers suggest that this behavior may be underreported rather than uncommon. Most cattle live in environments that limit opportunities for object manipulation, have shorter lifespans, and are rarely observed in ways that allow for detailed behavioral documentation.

These findings add to a growing body of evidence that livestock species may possess greater cognitive flexibility than traditionally recognized. For veterinarians, this has implications for animal welfare, enrichment strategies, housing design, and how cognitive capacity is considered in management systems.

The study was published in Current Biology.