Cows hold grudges, say scientists

[Walt Starr]

Cows hold grudges, say scientists
By Jonathan Leake
February 28, 2005

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.

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The research will be presented to a conference in London next month sponsored by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming.

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http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12390397-13762,00.html

[Padraig18]

1. This is not news to anyone who ever lived on a farm.

Some of them can be VERY nasty, although the majority of them ARE quite docile/placid, and a few are even sweet-tempered souls.

:)

[Merope215]

2. That's not news to anyone who's ever thought about it

or anyone who's ever been around animals, period. I've never lived on a farm, but it seems pretty obvious that if dogs and cats have emotional lives that cows would too. Duh.

I've never understood why people have so much trouble with this idea. :shrug:

[Skip Intro]

4. Its simple - its easier to kill and eat them if you deny they think & feel

That's why people have trouble with the idea.

[StClone]

9. My Favorite

Is watching a milk cow get out from the stall for spring pasture. Then watch them kick up their back heels, lower their head and hop around in seeming ecstasy and delight at being able to get out for a walk in the fresh air.

[Padraig18]

13. Yeah.

That's always cool.

:D

[neweurope]

3. I always wonder at scientists - everybody who ghas animals knows

this. No matter if it's cats or dogs or horses or whatnot, even birds.

---------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[bettyellen]

5. reminds me of the big revelation about lions- they're not all courageous!!

that was a newsflash I read in the NYT science section a couple of years back.

[Merope215]

7. There was a similar article about dolphins a few years ago

I forget where, but the big revelation was that not all dolphins are friendly and gentle. Some are even mean! Uh, well...okay...

Honestly, this whole field of animal behavior seems a little dumb to me. I'm not sure that animals' emotional lives are necessarily as rich as our own, but to deny that they feel fear, pain, joy, and comfort and that they have distinct personalities (at least in the "higher" species) just seems ridiculous.

[Mizmoon]

6. This is why I'm working up to be a vegetarian

It just doesn't seem right to eat animals. I feel bad for them. I know if I had to kill them myself I would have been a vegetarian long ago.

[neweurope]

12. Same here - I'm still eating meat but trying to eat less.

The bad thing is I'm allergic to a lot of fruit and vegetables, have a lactose intolerance and LOVE meat. But it's true if I had to kill them myself I'd be a vegetarian at once. I had to kill a sick wild rabbit once. It was the worst experience of my life.

---------------

TRemember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[RebelOne]

8. Definitely not news to me.

That's one of the reasons I am a vegetarian.

[Walt Starr]

11. I'm seriously considering it now

Definitely have to reconsider my dietary habits.

[MissB]

10. I'm sure there are a lot of cows who hold a grudge against this guy (link)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=817&ncid=757&e=10&u=/ap/20050226/ap_on_fe_st/animal_sex

[Padraig18]

15. Good Heavens!

:puke:

[RagingInMiami]

14. I would hold a grudge too

If my species had been slaughtered for centuries.