Veronika the Tool-Using Cow

Veronika the cow is living her best life right now. She is a 13 year old Brown Swiss cow from Austria.

Veronika can purposefully pick up many tools with her mouth and put them to use, like taking a brush and using it to scratch herself! Pretty impressive thing to do for a farm animal. 

Now how did her talent get discovered? 

Veronica the Cow Uses Tools to Scratch that Itch!

It began when Veronika's owner, who is an organic farmer, noticed Veronika picking up sticks and rakes to scratch itches that are not easy for her to reach. This is then when the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna came to observe Veronika and test her skills. They were impressed when they saw what Veronika was capable of doing.

Not only could Veronika pick up tools, but she also manipulated them specifically. She used her tongue and teeth to get a good grip, applying the brussels to any of her itches, while flipping the brush to a smoother side on sensitive areas of her body, like her stomach.

What do people have to say about Veronika the cow? “It shows that they are very intelligent and are evolving as time goes by,” said a student at Harborfields High School. “Her tongue rolled out like a carpet,” said Auersperg from the article.

There is actually a saying for this kind of behavior, it is called “Flexible tooling.” It requires a level of cognitive planning and motor control. Veronika's behavior isn't one in a million, it is instead a result of her unique environment. She was given the time and freedom in the Austrian mountains with access to objects, where other farmed cattle don't usually encounter.

Do you think other cows can learn to behave like Veronika?