Scientists have been forced to rethink cattle intelligence after an Austrian cow named Veronika showed a new skill — using tools. Owned by Witgar Wiegele, a farmer near the Italian border, Veronika was seen playing with sticks and scratching herself with them. Wiegele said, "I was naturally amazed by her extraordinary intelligence and thought how much we could learn from animals: patience, calmness, contentment, and gentleness." A video of Veronika’s tool use reached biologists in Vienna. Dr Antonio Osuna Mascaró from the University of Veterinary Medicine said, "It was a cow using an actual tool." The scientists visited Veronika's home in Nötsch im Gailtal, a beautiful town with forests, lakes, and mountains. Using a deck brush, they tested her skills. Veronika could pick up the broom, adjust it with her tongue, and use the bristles to scratch tough skin. For softer areas like her belly and udders, she switched to the smooth handle to scratch gently. The study in Current Biology says this shows multi-purpose tool use, which is very rare and mostly seen in chimps. Dr Osuna Mascaró added, "At first I thought this was a mistake. But Veronika used the different ends of the broom in a meaningful way." Cows have not been known for such intelligence before. The researchers watched 76 tool-use instances in seven sessions. Veronika is 13 years old, an age rare for cows, and lives in a stimulating environment. The scientists believe other cows may also be smarter than once thought. Dr Osuna Mascaró said, "We don't believe Veronika is the Einstein of cows. This tells us cows have the potential to innovate tool use, and we have ignored this fact for thousands of years." The study adds that while Veronika did not create tools like in a famous cartoon, she showed dexterity and flexibility in using them. This discovery could change how we view cattle intelligence forever.