Back-scratching bovine leads scientists to reassess intelligence of cows [View all]

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https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jan/19/back-scratching-cow-veronika-bovine-intelligence

Back-scratching bovine leads scientists to reassess intelligence of cows

Brown Swiss in Austria has been discovered using tools in different ways – something only ever seen in humans and chimpanzees

Ian Sample Science editor
Mon 19 Jan 2026 11.00 EST

Scientists have been forced to rethink the intelligence of cattle after an Austrian cow named Veronika displayed an impressive – and until now undocumented – knack for tool use.

Witgar Wiegele, an organic farmer and baker from a small town in Carinthia near the Italian border, keeps Veronika as a pet and noticed that she occasionally played with sticks and used them to scratch her body.

Wiegele, who said Veronika recognised family members’ voices and hurried to meet them when they called, began playing with pieces of wood years ago, then worked out how to scratch herself with sticks.

“I was naturally amazed by her extraordinary intelligence and thought how much we could learn from animals: patience, calmness, contentment, and gentleness,” he said.



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