Veronika, a 13-year-old Swiss Brown cow in southern Austria, has been documented using a deck brush to scratch herself and intentionally switching between the bristled and smooth ends for different areas. Researchers from the Messerli Research Institute ran randomized trials showing she consistently selected the appropriate end, indicating goal-directed tool use. The team calls this the first documented case of tool use in cattle and suggests Veronika’s pet-like, enriched environment helped the behaviour emerge. The study appears in Current Biology.
Think 'Bovine' Means Dull? Veronika the Cow Is the First Documented Case of Tool Use in Cattle
Veronika the cow demonstrates the ability to use tools
Veronika, a 13-year-old Swiss Brown cow in southern Austria, has surprised researchers by using a deck brush as a tool to scratch parts of her body she cannot reach. Video and controlled trials conducted by the Messerli Research Institute in Vienna show the cow deliberately switching between the bristled end and the smooth handle depending on the sensitivity of the area she was scratching.
Veronika lives as a family pet with Witgar Wiegele, an organic grain farmer and baker in Nötsch. Mr Wiegele says he first noticed the behaviour about a decade ago when Veronika occasionally picked up sticks to scratch herself; smartphone footage sent by a friend prompted scientific interest.
Researchers led by Prof. Alice Auersperg and Dr. Antonio Osuna-Mascaró studied Veronika in a series of sessions. The team placed a deck brush horizontally on the ground with its orientation (bristle-end left or right) randomized for each trial. On every occasion, Veronika selected the end of the brush appropriate for the area she wished to scratch, demonstrating goal-directed and flexible choice rather than random or accidental action.
Dr Antonio Osuna-Mascaró researched the clever cow belonging to Witgar Wiegele (right) - Teresa Cruz
Dr Antonio Osuna-Mascaró said: "She picked it up with her hand-like tongue, held it in her mouth with precision, aligned it with her body, and rubbed it along parts of her back she clearly couldn't reach otherwise."
The cow used broad sweeping movements for upper-body areas similar to a human sweeping a floor, while employing more precise positioning when addressing sensitive skin such as the udder or belly. The researchers note that flexible tool use is commonly associated with more complex cognition and has historically been documented in species such as chimpanzees.
Scientists suggest that Veronika’s extended lifespan as a pet, enriched environment and daily human contact may have helped this behaviour develop. The research has been published in the journal Current Biology, and — according to the team — represents the first documented case of tool use in cattle.
Implications: The findings challenge common assumptions that describe cattle as cognitively limited and underscore the value of enriched environments and long-term observation for revealing sophisticated animal behaviour.
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