Austrian Cow Makes History Using Broom as Tool to Scratch Itch
Veronika, a farm cow in Austria, is the first cattle experimentally verified to use a tool, challenging views on bovine intelligence with her.
Key Points
- First experimentally verified tool use by cattle: cow Veronika scratches itch with broom.
- Observed on Austrian farm; unprecedented among bovines, rivals chimpanzee behavior.
- Experts hail it as challenging assumptions about farm animal cognition.
- Video shows deliberate actions, sparking studies on animal intelligence.
A cow in Austria has made history by using a broom to scratch an itch on its body, in what scientists describe as the first experimentally verified case of cattle employing a tool.
The animal, named Veronika, lives on a large farm in the country. Footage shows her wielding the broom with her mouth to reach parts of her body she otherwise couldn't access. Researchers hailed the behaviour as unprecedented among bovines, surpassing even observations in chimpanzees, which have long been known for tool use.
"This is the first documented instance of livestock using a tool in a controlled setting," experts noted, expressing astonishment at Veronika's ingenuity. The discovery challenges assumptions about cognitive abilities in farm animals, typically not associated with such problem-solving.
The video, which has drawn widespread attention, captures Veronika's deliberate actions, underscoring a rare moment of apparent laziness turned resourcefulness—much like humans reaching for an unconventional fix on a sluggish day. Scientists continue to study the phenomenon for insights into animal intelligence.
Original Sources
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