What This Viral Tool-Using Cow Teaches Us About Big Bovine Brains
Cows got the smarts! And one sweet cow is proving it yet again. Veronika, a Swiss Brown cow in Austria, is capturing hearts around the world with her clever back-scratching technique—and we’re all itching to see more. In a recently viral video, she expertly maneuvers a broom with her long tongue, scratching herself in places she can’t reach otherwise. While researchers note that this may be the first recorded instance of a cow using tools, it’s really just the latest reminder of cows’ intelligence, curiosity, and remarkable problem-solving skills.
Veronika’s guardian first noticed her using sticks to relieve her itches, and now, she’s able to deftly wield a broom, showing clear preferences by using the bristled side for her thick upper-body skin and the blunt handle for more sensitive areas. She also shows control and precision, adjusting her grip depending on which side of the brush she wants and what part of her body she is tending to. For her upper body, she uses a firm scrubbing motion, while the stick end allows for soft, precise pushes on more delicate areas. Her careful technique illustrates the coordination and resourcefulness that cows have always demonstrated.
Tool Use Is Just Grazing the Surface: Cows Have Always Been Brilliant, If You’ve Been Paying Attention
Veronika’s crafty broom use is just one small glimpse into the depth of cows’ extraordinary minds and complexity. These gentle animals have rich emotional lives, form strong bonds with each other, and grieve when a companion dies. They remember friends and foes for years and sometimes even hold grudges against those who’ve wronged them. Mother cows are protective and nurturing, teaching their calves how to forage, communicate, and navigate the world.
Cows also have distinct personalities: Some are shy, others are bold; some are bossy, while others are mischievous. They feel joy, fear, and pain, just as humans do.
Cows Suffer a Lifetime of Misery on Meat and Dairy Farms
Knowing all this, it’s impossible to ignore what cows and bulls endure in the meat and dairy industries. Every animal is someone. Like Veronika, all cows are thinking, feeling individuals—but the millions who suffer on today’s farms every day never get the chance to express even their most natural behaviors, let alone use tools. Farmers confine them to cramped, dark sheds, where they’re often forced to stand in their own waste. They can’t bask in the sun, graze in the grass, or even breathe fresh air. This kind of confinement is the industry standard—but no matter what the conditions are, cows don’t want to be killed for their flesh or exploited in any way. They want to be left in peace.
Respect Cows—Don’t Eat Them
If watching Veronika made you smile, or reminded you how much cows are capable of, it’s worth taking the next step. One of the best things you can do for our fellow animals, the planet, and for your own health is to stop eating cows and their bodily secretions. Take the 3-week vegan challenge today to learn how easy it is to make the compassionate switch:
