Jersey cows have many characteristics, not only on the formal and productive side, but they also have complex psychological aspects, but only a little is known about them.
Most research on Jersey cows tends to focus on how they are used in manufacturing dairy products, meat, and other commodities. However, there are very few researchers are interested in researching the psychological aspect of Jersey cows and how life looks like from their perspective.
In this article, we’re focusing on a different aspect of Jersey cows. We’re addressing how smart are Jersey cows! We will also talk about its personality, in addition to talking about cows intelligence in general. Keep reading!
Are Jersey Cows Smart?
Yes, jersey cows are smart, and it is a very clear characteristic in Jersey cows. According to research and farmers’ experiences, Jersey cows are generally very intelligent, and they interact in complex social ways with different situations.
On the evidences that support this answer is that these cute little ones mourn the death of their mother and the separation of those they love. they grieve very much for the loss of their calf after the calves were forcibly taken after birth.
They continue to call and search frantically for their baby. The mother’s bond with her calf is particularly strong, which has been recorded in many reports.
on the social side, they develop friendships with people and animals who are good to them. and on the other hand, they hold grudges against cows and people who treat them badly.
It can also identify a large number of individuals, whether animals or humans and keeps remembering things for a long time. But this is not a fixed rule, as cows are like humans, some of them may be smarter and quick to learn, while others are a little slower and less intelligent. Some are bold and adventurous, while others may be shy and cowardly.
Also, some cows are friendly and considerate to others, while others are not smooth, malicious, and bossy. Let’s get to know more about the characteristic of intelligence in Jersey cows and cows in general, as intelligence is not a characteristic found in Jersey cows only, but all cows often enjoy intelligence.
How Smart Are Cows?
The scientists point out in their reports that intelligence refers to the speed, complexity, and depth with which an individual acquires information from the surrounding environment and how it processes, stores, and acts upon later.
Let’s go into the depths of the matter more and learn about the extent of the cow’s intelligence and how this appears in its behavior from different aspects.
Emotional Smartness
Some may be surprised when they know that cows feel, rejoice, and grieve! No wonder, as cows really do this which appears in many situations. For example, if the cow has an owner who treats her well and spoils her, it rejoices as soon as It sees him and tries to approach him as if it wants to hug him.
It also understands well and senses the danger of people with whom it has a bad experience and refuses to deal with them at all, and it is impossible to let them milk or approach her.
It also understands very well that it is in danger when she takes them to the slaughterhouse to slaughter them and sees the cows executed in front of its eyes which is a very cruel matter. Unfortunately, there is no mercy for these weak beings or how they feel.
Cows panic and try to defend their lives and escape, as preserving life is an innate instinct in each living creature. It was reported that cows tried to escape from the slaughterhouse, jumped high through the high fence, and actually escaped from the slaughterhouse!
Cows Do Feel: A Story Of Mercy
This is something that the heavenly religions have long ago referred to as benevolence to animals when slaughtering them and showing mercy to them.
It was narrated that the Messenger Muhammad, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, or as he is called the Prophet of Mercy, passed by a man who placed his foot on the side of a sheep, while he was sharpening his blade, and she was observing him with her eyesight.
He said: (Do you want to kill her many times? Would you sharpen your blade before you lay her down? The Prophet Muhammad, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, realized that a cow grieves and suffers when it sees its owner preparing for its slaughter.
So he called on the man to have mercy on his sheep and be kind to it by not making her see him while he was preparing the tools for slaughtering her, but rather to prepare them far from her in advance.
Cows also feel their peers and provide them with emotional support to overcome difficulties and reduce stress! One study found that cows feel the emotions of their peers, as cows can smell the stress of neighboring cows.
They respond by sympathizing with them, and they try to reduce the stress of others by standing close to them!
Fear and sadness have signs that appear in cows, which include slowing their feeding, increased white area of the eyes, and erected ears. It also shows signs of increased stress in body chemistry in the form of increased cortisol.
Educational Intelligence
Certainly, educational intelligence does not mean the same meaning in humans, as cows will not go to school and study like children. but rather indicates the possibility of cows learning from their own mistakes or the mistakes of another cow.
Educational intelligence mainly refers to Social learning which means a cow learns to do something by her past experiences and seeing the consequences of her behavior or by observing what another cow does. This is documented by several studies on social learning in cows.
One of these studies showed that when cows lived with cows that were more experienced in grazing than they were, they would pick up grazing behaviors from them more quickly. This is more evident in cows that live with other cows, where they acquire more social behaviors and have better coping skills.
Survival Intelligence
appears clearly in cows when they try to escape from situations that restrict or harm them. Where attempts to escape show us the spatial skills of cows as they try to avoid danger. For example, cows do not walk in bodies of water, no matter what happens.
Also, if they sense danger in a place, they will try to escape in all ways, even from narrow places. You may be amazed when you see cows maneuvering their bodies around obstacles to escape from danger! It was mentioned that there was a cow that fell from a ship into the river and that it resisted drowning and kept swimming for a long time until it survived and reached the shore.
Spatial Intelligence
Refers to the ability of cows to acquire knowledge, remember and use information related to spatial aspects of their environment. Studies have shown that cows use their memories to learn where to go for the most efficient food, the shady place, the cleanest water, and how to return to their herd. Cows have an amazing memory and have a great ability to remember where things are.
A study on cows’ memory showed that 77 percent of the cows retained information about the location of the feeder for six weeks after it was discontinued in the test.
A different study on the spatial memory of cows showed that they retained the correct information about how to pass through a maze for up to eight hours. which prepared to test their ability to succeed in reaching food stored in different locations!
Related Article: Since you’re interested in smart animals, you might be interested to read our article about most intelligent chicken breeds.
FAQS
What Is The Personality Of Jersey Cows?
Jersey cows have a very friendly personality. They tend to be more curious and intelligent. They are easy to handle and often good in the milking parlor. They adapt to different conditions comfortably without complaining.
However, Jersey bulls are not as calm as cows, rather they are aggressive and care must be taken in dealing with them.
How Do You Tell If A Cow Likes You?
If the cow loves you, it will try to approach you, follow you, lick you, and get very close to you, as if hugging you. She will also look relieved to see her ears relaxed, which expresses her happiness.
She will also keep your shape well in her memory, and she will recognize you and choose you from the crowd. Even if someone is wearing similar clothes, they will recognize your face.
Are Cows Smarter Than Dogs?
In general, it can be said that dogs are smarter than cows. But it is different something. cows outperform dogs in some capabilities, while cows outperform dogs in other features.
Although cows hear well, dogs outperform cows in hearing, as dogs know the source of sound more quickly than cows.
On the other hand, cows are better than dogs at navigating mazes without getting lost when forced to take turns. However, there are many similarities between dogs and cows, both of which are sympathetic, social, and loyal.
