Cows are very social and develop bonds with each other. They even have preferences for who they choose to spend their time with. Did you know that cows can detect the scent of stress hormones in the urine of other cows? Cows are so tuned in to one another’s feelings that they experience “emotional contagion.” For example, if they encounter a very stressed herd mate, they can become stressed too.
Studies have shown that cows exhibit excitement and behaviors
indicative of pleasure when they accomplish intellectually
challenging tasks! Like other grazing animals, cows have excellent
spatial memories and can navigate and remember mazes quite well.
Once they complete the maze or other task, they can appear rather
pleased with themselves.
What colors do cows see? Cows can see blues and greens but see reds,
oranges, and yellows best. Cows can tell the difference between
different shapes (such as a square and a circle) and various colors
and sizes of the same shape. Not only can they differentiate between
shapes, sizes, and colors, but they can also discriminate between
pictures of familiar and unfamiliar cows. When cows were let into a
space with pictures, they immediately went to the pictures of cows
they knew.
Cows have around 20,000 taste buds. While cows can distinguish
between sweet, salty, bitter, and sour tastes, they prefer sweet and
salty foods. An aversion to bitter foods helps them avoid toxic
plants, while their preference for sweet foods helps them ensure
they consume foods with a high caloric value. Salty foods help them
achieve a good electrolyte balance.
Cows are very social and develop bonds with each other. They even
have preferences for who they choose to spend their time with. Did
you know that cows can detect the scent of stress hormones in the
urine of other cows? Cows are so tuned in to one another’s feelings
that they experience “emotional contagion.” For example, if they
encounter a very stressed herd mate, they can become stressed too.