Veronika the cow has a scratching broom, and she knows how to use it

Veronika is a 13‑year‑old brown Swiss cow living in the mountain village of Nötsch in southern Austria. In January 2026, scientists from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna—led by Antonio Osuna‑Mascaró and Alice Auersperg—arrived after spotting a video of Veronika scratching with a branch. Within five minutes the cow used a broom’s bristled end to reach her back and the handle to touch her udder and belly. The finding, published in the journal Current Biology on Monday, argues that cows can exhibit flexible tool use, challenging long‑held beliefs about livestock cognition.