Cows can recognise familiar human faces, a new study has revealed.
This skill has already been demonstrated in several animal species, including dolphins, dogs, and great apes.
Now, researchers from INRAE in Nouzilly, France, have shown that cows also have this talent.
In their new study, the team played cows muted videos of familiar and unfamiliar faces, and measured how long the animals gazed at them.
The results revealed that cows stared longer at videos of unfamiliar people.
According to the researchers, this shows that cows can distinguish between a known and an unknown face.
‘The observed results support the view that cows can categorise human faces according to familiarity,’ the researchers explained in their study, published in PLOS One.
‘Thus, the capacity for differentiating human faces based on visual cues alone found in other domestic species could extend to cows.’
The team played cows muted videos of familiar and unfamiliar faces, and measured how long the animals gazed at them. The results revealed that cows stared longer at videos of unfamiliar people
The ability to recognise a familiar face – known as social recognition – is a key mechanism in social animals.
It’s already been demonstrated in several mammals, including great apes, dolphins, elephants, polar bears, dogs, cats, horses, sheep and pigs.
However, until now, whether or not cows have social recognition has remained a mystery.
To get to the bottom of it, the team, led by Léa Lansade, enlisted 32 Prim Holstein cows.
Firstly, the cows were played muted videos of familiar and unfamiliar male faces, while the researchers measured how long the animals gazed at them.
Next, the team played videos of familiar and unfamiliar faces while broadcasting audio corresponding to one of the two men, with each man saying an identical sentence.
In addition, the team measured the cows’ heart rates as they watched the videos to see if they responded emotionally.
In the first experiment, the cows were found to stare longer at videos of unfamiliar people.
The team played videos of familiar and unfamiliar faces while broadcasting audio corresponding to one of the two men, with each man saying an identical sentence
But when the videos were paired with sound, the animals spent more time staring at the video when the voice matched the sound.
However, their heart rate data revealed that none of the familiar or unfamiliar faces or voices seemed to affect the cows’ emotional response.
Overall, the results suggest that cows show visual preference for new human faces over a familiar one,and can match a known handler’s voice to their face.
‘Based on these results, future research should explore whether cows can adjust their behaviour depending on the person they are interacting with – a capacity that may reflect their agency in human–animal relationships,’ the researchers said.
