Cows can tell humans apart, new study finds
A recent study reveals that cows possess a greater level of intelligence than previously thought. The research indicates that domestic cows can recognize and differentiate between human faces and voices. This finding suggests that cows are capable of complex cognitive functions, which could have implications for their welfare and treatment.
- ▪Cows can recognize and distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar human faces and voices.
- ▪The study involved 32 Prim’Holstein cows, a common dairy breed in France.
- ▪Cows showed a preference for unfamiliar faces and could match voices to known faces.
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Cows might be more intelligent than we thought. Image: Shutterstock Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Email address Sign up Thank you! Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Cows are not necessarily known for their intelligence, but that less-than-stellar reputation is beginning to change. A 13-year-old pet cow in Austria named Veronika uses brooms to scratch her back, which qualifies as a form of tool use. Tool use is considered a general marker for intelligence in animals. The domestic cow species that live in close contact with humans are also highly social animals, another sign of intelligence. New research finds that one domestic species of cow (Bos taurus taurus) can recognize humans and distinguish between them.
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