Overview
- A peer-reviewed study in Current Biology published January 19, 2026 reports the first scientific evidence of tool use by a cow.
- Veronika, a 13-year-old Swiss Brown in Carinthia, uses sticks and a deck brush to self-scratch, choosing bristles for broad upper areas and the handle for sensitive lower regions while adjusting grip and force.
- In randomized trials, researchers placed a deck brush in varied orientations and recorded roughly 70–76 uses across sessions, finding consistent, functionally appropriate choices.
- The team classifies the behavior as rare multi-purpose tool use directed at the animal’s own body, a pattern previously documented convincingly outside humans mainly in chimpanzees.
- The authors cite Veronika’s pet status, enriched environment, and long lifespan as likely enablers and are inviting reports of similar behavior to gauge how common it is in livestock.