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Campaigns Cows hold grudges, say scientists FROM 'THE AUSTRALIAN' WWW.NEWS.COM.AU
: ONCE they were a byword for mindless docility. But cows have a complex
mental life in which they bear grudges, nurture friendships and become
excited by intellectual challenges, researchers have found. Cows are capable of strong emotions such as pain, fear and even anxiety
about the future. But if farmers provide the right conditions, they can also
feel great happiness. The findings have emerged from studies of farm animals that have found
similar traits in pigs, goats and chickens. They suggest such animals may be
so emotionally similar to humans that welfare laws need to be reconsidered.
The research will be presented to a conference in London next month
sponsored by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming. Christine Nicol, professor of animal welfare at Britain's Bristol
University, said even chickens might have to be treated as individuals with
needs and problems. "Remarkable cognitive abilities and cultural innovations have been
revealed," she said. "Our challenge is to teach others that every animal we
intend to eat or use is a complex individual, and to adjust our farming
culture accordingly." Her colleague John Webster added: "People have assumed intelligence is
linked to the ability to suffer, and that because animals have smaller
brains they suffer less than humans. That is a pathetic piece of logic." The Bristol researchers have documented how cows within a herd form
friendship groups of between two and four animals with whom they spend most
of their time, often grooming and licking each other. They will also dislike
other cows, and can bear grudges for months or years. Donald Broom, professor of animal welfare at Cambridge University, will
tell the conference how cows can become excited by solving intellectual
challenges. In one study, researchers challenged the animals with a task where they
had to find how to open a door to get some food. An electroencephalograph
was used to measure their brainwaves. "The brainwaves showed their excitement; their heartbeat went up and some
even jumped into the air. We called it their Eureka moment," Professor Broom
said. The assumption that farm animals cannot suffer from conditions that would
be intolerable for humans is partly based on the idea they have no sense of
self. Latest research suggests this is untrue. "Sentient animals have the capacity to experience pleasure and are
motivated to seek it," Professor Webster said. "You only have to watch how cows and lambs both seek and enjoy pleasure
when they lie with their heads raised to the sun on a perfect English
summer's day. Just like humans." Fair Use Notice: This document may contain
copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the
copyright owners. We believe that this not-for-profit, educational use on
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