Veronica, the first cow to use tools, is attracting attention
The Austrian domestic cow 'Veronika' demonstrated the behavior of using tools to scratch itself, and this behavior was published in the scientific journal
Flexible use of a multi-purpose tool by a cow: Current Biology
https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)01597-0
Meet Veronika, the tool-using cow - Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/01/meet-veronika-the-tool-using-cow/
Below is a video of Veronica, a pet cow in Austria, using a deck brush. By holding it in her mouth, you can see her skillfully scratching her body with the handle and brush.
Flexible use of a multi-purpose tool by a cow - YouTube
Veronica's owner had filmed her scratching behavior over the years, using sticks and brushes whenever she found them. Alice Auersberg and her team at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna took note of this and observed how Veronica used the tools by giving her a deck brush in different orientations and positions. After repeated trials, they conducted seven observations, each with 10 trials, and recorded 76 patterns of Veronica's use of the brush.
The researchers observed that the animals 'selected and used tools according to their purpose,' for example, using the hard brush to scratch the back or thick parts of the body, and the soft handle to scratch the sensitive abdomen and breasts. They also observed appropriate gripping behavior, such as temporarily releasing the tool and then re-grasping it, turning the brush part toward the body before rubbing.
Scientifically, tool use requires clear evidence that an individual is using an object differently to achieve a specific purpose, rather than simply using a tool by chance. While this behavior has traditionally been observed only in primates and certain birds, the behavior of Veronica, a domestic cow, has been evaluated as being indicative of tool use. For example, when using a deck brush, some animals are able to balance the brush by holding the other end in their mouth, since the brush is heavier. However, Veronica's behavior clearly demonstrates that she uses different ends of the tool depending on the purpose, a behavior comparable to this has only been recorded in chimpanzees, the researchers said.
Researchers cite Veronica's upbringing as a factor in her ability to use tools. Unlike domesticated cattle such as dairy or beef cattle, Veronica was raised as a pet in free-range grasslands, which is likely why she had more opportunities to come into contact with a variety of objects. The researchers pointed out that Veronica, who is 13 years old and older for a domesticated cattle, had been in such an environment for many years, which may have given her the opportunity to learn to select and use tools.
Previously, it was thought that large herbivores like domestic cattle only had limited cognitive abilities, but this discovery may overturn that view. The research team commented, 'Veronica's behavior provides the first quantitative evidence that domestic cattle are capable of flexible, goal-directed behavior, and will set a new course for research into livestock cognition. It would be absurd not to imagine domestic cattle using tools, but to assume that such cattle do not exist.'
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