Navigating barriers in domestic cattle

Can cows solve spatial detour tasks by social learning? As social grazers, cows may possess the cognitive ability to solve spatial detour tasks by observing other cattle. However, studies of other social and gregarious ungulates have shown that it is highly variable which species have the ability and which does not. This study investigates domestic cattle’s ability to solve a spatial detour task by the use of social learning mechanisms, which is currently unknown. If cattle is able to perform this task it would indicate that cattle possess higher mental abilities which e.g. horses does not possess.