Guest guest Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12390397-13762,00.html Cows hold grudges, say scientists By Jonathan Leake February 28, 2005 <http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/?from=ni_story> 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. The research will be presented to a conference in London next month sponsored by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming. Christine Nicol, professor of animal welfare at Britain's Bristol University, said even chickens might have to be treated as individuals with needs and problems. " Remarkable cognitive abilities and cultural innovations have been revealed, " she said. " Our challenge is to teach others that every animal we intend to eat or use is a complex individual, and to adjust our farming culture accordingly. " Her colleague John Webster added: " People have assumed intelligence is linked to the ability to suffer, and that because animals have smaller brains they suffer less than humans. That is a pathetic piece of logic. " The Bristol researchers have documented how cows within a herd form friendship groups of between two and four animals with whom they spend most of their time, often grooming and licking each other. They will also dislike other cows, and can bear grudges for months or years. Donald Broom, professor of animal welfare at Cambridge University, will tell the conference how cows can become excited by solving intellectual challenges. In one study, researchers challenged the animals with a task where they had to find how to open a door to get some food. An electroencephalograph was used to measure their brainwaves. " The brainwaves showed their excitement; their heartbeat went up and some even jumped into the air. We called it their Eureka moment, " Professor Broom said. The assumption that farm animals cannot suffer from conditions that would be intolerable for humans is partly based on the idea they have no sense of self. Latest research suggests this is untrue. " Sentient animals have the capacity to experience pleasure and are motivated to seek it, " Professor Webster said. " You only have to watch how cows and lambs both seek and enjoy pleasure when they lie with their heads raised to the sun on a perfect English summer's day. Just like humans. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 That sounds a handy bit of research!... I had a mate that stopped being vegetarian a few years ago because no-one could prove to him that animals had feelings or suffered pain. I'm sure he's not the only one that uses such a lame excuse to help him not be veggie, so hopefully this research will make such people think. Are CIWF sponsoring just the conference or did they sponsor the research as well? Cheers, James - Alexandra Yurkiw Monday, February 28, 2005 1:13 AM Cows hold grudges, say scientists http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12390397-13762,00.htmlCows hold grudges, say scientistsBy Jonathan LeakeFebruary 28, 2005 <http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/?from=ni_story> ONCE they were a byword for mindless docility. But cows have a complexmental life in which they bear grudges, nurture friendships and becomeexcited by intellectual challenges, researchers have found.Cows are capable of strong emotions such as pain, fear and even anxietyabout the future. But if farmers provide the right conditions, they can alsofeel great happiness. The findings have emerged from studies of farm animals that have foundsimilar traits in pigs, goats and chickens. They suggest such animals may beso emotionally similar to humans that welfare laws need to be reconsidered. The research will be presented to a conference in London next monthsponsored by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming. Christine Nicol, professor of animal welfare at Britain's BristolUniversity, said even chickens might have to be treated as individuals withneeds and problems. "Remarkable cognitive abilities and cultural innovations have beenrevealed," she said. "Our challenge is to teach others that every animal weintend to eat or use is a complex individual, and to adjust our farmingculture accordingly." Her colleague John Webster added: "People have assumed intelligence islinked to the ability to suffer, and that because animals have smallerbrains they suffer less than humans. That is a pathetic piece of logic." The Bristol researchers have documented how cows within a herd formfriendship groups of between two and four animals with whom they spend mostof their time, often grooming and licking each other. They will also dislikeother cows, and can bear grudges for months or years. Donald Broom, professor of animal welfare at Cambridge University, will tellthe conference how cows can become excited by solving intellectualchallenges. In one study, researchers challenged the animals with a task where they hadto find how to open a door to get some food. An electroencephalograph wasused to measure their brainwaves. "The brainwaves showed their excitement; their heartbeat went up and someeven jumped into the air. We called it their Eureka moment," Professor Broomsaid. The assumption that farm animals cannot suffer from conditions that would beintolerable for humans is partly based on the idea they have no sense ofself. Latest research suggests this is untrue. "Sentient animals have the capacity to experience pleasure and are motivatedto seek it," Professor Webster said. "You only have to watch how cows and lambs both seek and enjoy pleasure whenthey lie with their heads raised to the sun on a perfect English summer'sday. Just like humans." ~~ info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Please remember that the above is only the opinion of the author, there may be another side to the story you have not heard.---------------------------Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it snipped?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guidelines: visit <site temporarily offline>Un: send a blank message to - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 I am not sure. I think it is best to contact CIWF for your questions. James Hodgskiss [james] Monday, February 28, 2005 3:31 AM Re: Cows hold grudges, say scientists That sounds a handy bit of research!... I had a mate that stopped being vegetarian a few years ago because no-one could prove to him that animals had feelings or suffered pain. I'm sure he's not the only one that uses such a lame excuse to help him not be veggie, so hopefully this research will make such people think. Are CIWF sponsoring just the conference or did they sponsor the research as well? Cheers, James - Alexandra Yurkiw Monday, February 28, 2005 1:13 AM Cows hold grudges, say scientists http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12390397-13762,00.html Cows hold grudges, say scientists By Jonathan Leake February 28, 2005 <http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/?from=ni_story> 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. The research will be presented to a conference in London next month sponsored by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming. Christine Nicol, professor of animal welfare at Britain's Bristol University, said even chickens might have to be treated as individuals with needs and problems. " Remarkable cognitive abilities and cultural innovations have been revealed, " she said. " Our challenge is to teach others that every animal we intend to eat or use is a complex individual, and to adjust our farming culture accordingly. " Her colleague John Webster added: " People have assumed intelligence is linked to the ability to suffer, and that because animals have smaller brains they suffer less than humans. That is a pathetic piece of logic. " The Bristol researchers have documented how cows within a herd form friendship groups of between two and four animals with whom they spend most of their time, often grooming and licking each other. They will also dislike other cows, and can bear grudges for months or years. Donald Broom, professor of animal welfare at Cambridge University, will tell the conference how cows can become excited by solving intellectual challenges. In one study, researchers challenged the animals with a task where they had to find how to open a door to get some food. An electroencephalograph was used to measure their brainwaves. " The brainwaves showed their excitement; their heartbeat went up and some even jumped into the air. We called it their Eureka moment, " Professor Broom said. The assumption that farm animals cannot suffer from conditions that would be intolerable for humans is partly based on the idea they have no sense of self. Latest research suggests this is untrue. " Sentient animals have the capacity to experience pleasure and are motivated to seek it, " Professor Webster said. " You only have to watch how cows and lambs both seek and enjoy pleasure when they lie with their heads raised to the sun on a perfect English summer's day. Just like humans. " ~~ info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please remember that the above is only the opinion of the author, there may be another side to the story you have not heard. --------------------------- Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it snipped? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guidelines: visit <site temporarily offline> Un: send a blank message to - ~~ info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please remember that the above is only the opinion of the author, there may be another side to the story you have not heard. --------------------------- Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it snipped? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guidelines: visit <site temporarily offline> Un: send a blank message to - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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