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Veronika is a companion Swiss Brown cow in southern Austria whose owner had seen her pick up sticks to scratch herself. In structured observations, researchers reported that she used a two-ended deck brush differently depending on the body area: the bristles on firmer areas and the smooth handle on softer areas. They describe this as flexible, multi-purpose tool use by one cow—not evidence that all cows use tools or have human-like reasoning.
How Veronika used the brush
Veronika’s owner had seen her pick up sticks and use them to scratch herself before researchers observed her. For follow-up sessions, researchers placed a deck brush horizontally on the ground and varied which way its bristled end pointed.
Veronika manipulated the object with her mouth. Researchers recorded which end she used and which part of her body she targeted. The reported pattern was:
| Brush feature | Body area | Reported movement |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff bristles | Firmer, broad dorsal areas, including her back | Broad sweeping motions |
| Smooth handle | Softer lower-body areas, including her udder or belly | More careful, focused movements |
In other words, the reported finding is not simply that Veronika picked up a brush. She used different features of the same object, and changed her technique, depending on the body area she was scratching.
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- Professional 3-in-1 Grooming Tool: 3 grooming tools combined in one brush — undercoat rake, dematting comb and deshedding brush. One tool solves shedding, tangles and stubborn mats.
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What the research found—and what it did not
The researchers describe multi-purpose tool use as using different features of one object to achieve distinct functional outcomes. In Veronika’s case, the brush-end choice varied with the body region she targeted. This is a reported case involving one cow, not evidence that cattle generally use tools.
The study, “Flexible use of a multi-purpose tool by a cow,” by Antonio J. Osuna-Mascaró and Alice M. I. Auersperg, appeared in Current Biology. The paper’s DOI record identifies the study. The detailed full text was not available to the research desk, so precise trial counts and other numerical results are not included here.
Researchers frame the behavior as an animal using an object to extend its body and apply force to a target. The observed choice of brush end and change in technique support the description of flexible tool use. They do not establish what Veronika was thinking or prove a broad ranking of her intelligence.
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Why the brush’s two ends mattered
The researchers’ account describes Veronika using stiff bristles on firmer, broad areas and the smooth handle on softer areas such as her udder or belly. The contrast between the brush features, target areas, and movements is central to the finding.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThis does not mean researchers can know exactly what Veronika felt or intended. The cautious interpretation is that her choice of brush end and technique varied with the area she was trying to scratch.
Is Veronika the “smartest cow in the world”?
No. That claim would go beyond the evidence. The study concerns one cow and a specific self-scratching behavior; it does not rank her against other cows or show that all cows use tools.
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The owner had observed Veronika’s stick-scratching behavior before the research sessions. The available account does not establish a complete learning history, so it is safest not to make claims about how she acquired the behavior or to describe it as a trained trick.
Could her environment have helped?
Veronika lives in an open environment, has access to objects, and has daily contact with people. The researchers suggest that her long life and these opportunities may have helped create favorable conditions for the behavior. This is a hypothesis, not a proven cause.
Her story also raises a broader question about animal research: abilities may go unnoticed when animals have few opportunities to explore objects or when observers are not looking for flexible object use.
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What Veronika’s behavior tells us about cows
The careful conclusion is that Veronika’s reported actions involved selecting between object features and changing her technique for different targets. That finding does not require assigning her human thoughts or emotions, and it should not be generalized to every cow.
As Alice Auersperg of the Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, put it in the university’s research release: “It’s about recognizing that our assumptions about intelligence in animals are shaped by how we treat them, and by what we bother to look for.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should you give a pet cow a brush?
Not simply because Veronika used one. Her behavior is a research finding, not a general livestock-care recommendation. The study object was a deck brush; it should not be treated as an endorsement of a particular brush for animals.
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Use grooming equipment appropriate for cattle and consider the animal’s temperament, condition, and surroundings. If a cow picks up an object, assess safety rather than encouraging risky behavior. Consult a veterinarian or qualified livestock-care professional if scratching seems persistent or may be related to irritation, parasites, or pain.
FAQ
What tool did Veronika the cow use?
Researchers observed her using a two-ended deck brush to scratch herself. She reportedly used the bristled end on firmer areas and the smooth handle on softer areas such as her udder or belly.
Can cows use tools?
This study reports flexible tool use by one cow, Veronika. It does not establish that all cows use tools.
How did researchers observe Veronika using the brush?
Researchers placed a deck brush horizontally and varied the direction its bristled end faced. They recorded which end Veronika used and the body area she targeted.
Why might Veronika have developed this behavior?
The researchers suggest that her long life, open environment, access to objects, and daily contact with people may have provided favorable opportunities. They present this as a possibility, not a proven cause.
The bottom line
Veronika’s reported behavior was more than picking up a brush: she used its bristled and smooth ends for different body areas and changed her technique. It is a documented case of flexible tool use in one cow, not a claim about every cow or a general intelligence ranking.
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