Cows' Astonishing Social Intelligence | FULL DOCUMENTARY

The story we're about to tell you could have taken place 11,000 years ago, when cows were still wild oryx. At that time, an 80 head herd was domesticated by Cro-Magnon, our ancestor. Through cross-breeding, the oryx became the cow, both a meat reserve and a milk tank, as well as a leather supplier and agricultural tool. Thus began the incredible story that unites us. Cows are so much a part of our history, of our landscape, that sadly, we don't pay them that much attention and often disdain them. We forget that behind their large, gentle eyes are sensitive creatures whose intelligence is largely underestimated. In order to right this wrong, we're going to tell you three stories. First, that of Gazelle, a Tarentese cow living in the heart of the Van Oise National Park. With her strong character, this cow wants to become the herd leader. If she succeeds, she'll have the heavy responsibility of watching over the herd as it confronts the untamed world of the high mountain pastures. Next, we'll meet Nougaro, a Shower Lake calf born in the Morvin Uplands. After the death of his mother, Nougaro is living on borrowed time, and the next few weeks will prove crucial for his survival. And finally, we'll go to the Isle of Ars in Brittany to meet Stern, a Breton Pinot, who'll have an unforgettable experience when she leaves her island for the very first time. She's headed for the Livestock Beauty Contest, held at the Paris International Agricultural Fair. And now Stern! So, once upon a time, there were three cows who weren't so mad. Chapter one of our story begins on a bright early morning in Burgundy. Miss Tanguette, a one-and-a-half-year-old heifer, is about to give birth for the first time, after a gestation period of nine months and seven days. In this open-air stable, designed to ensure the maximum well-being of the mother during calving, the livestock farmer puts the mother-to-be in an individual stall with clean bedding and then awaits for nature to take its course. Labor can last a long time, several hours, a whole day even. But a few hours later, things take a bad turn. Time is of the essence now. The other cows in the stable sense the danger. The oldest and most experienced ones instinctively sense that Miss Tanguette is going to need help to calve. The cows start mooing in unison. This repeated and insistent mooing is an alarm call, which immediately alerts Alexander, the farmer. To avoid losing both the calf and the cow, Alexander has to intervene rapidly with the calving jack. And a few short minutes later, the calf is delivered. It's a 45 kilo male called Nougaro. Guided by her maternal instinct, Miss Tanguette licks her calf. In this way, mother and calf become familiar with one another's scent. Barely dry, just an hour after his birth, the newborn instinctively attempts a vital yet tricky exercise. That's it. Bottom in the air, back legs stabilized. The calf makes another attempt. Well, you know the saying, if at first you don't succeed. Nougaro is the latest arrival in the great Charolais family of beef cattle, recognizable by their white or cream colored coats. Here, the onset of spring transforms the Roussea farm into a veritable nursery, where 40 or so calves are born in the space of just a few days. At dusk, on his first day, the calf imperatively needs to drink the colostrum, the first maternal milk rich in antibodies that will protect it from infections. It needs to feed to build up its strength. Like all calves, Nougaro is instinctively drawn to the smell of the udder. It makes its way feverishly towards the maternal teats. But by the looks of it, he's still a bit wobbly on his legs. Our story continues farther to the west. At daybreak, on the eel of ours in the Gulf of Montbillon, the last land area before the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean. This is the home of Stern, a Breton Pinot, whose normally peaceful life is about to be disrupted. For under this mud mask is a true bovine beauty, selected to compete in the renowned Paris International Agricultural Fair. Stern comes from a breed of small, hardy cows that arrived in Brittany at the time of the Viking invasion. She was born nine years ago here on this island that she's never left. She's getting ready to welcome her eighth calf. For her, just like for the other 25 cows of Violaine and Sebastian's livestock farm, daily life is paced by a fixed routine that's reassuring for these animals that don't like change. One of Stern's favorite pastimes are the licking sessions, carried out alone or with another herd member. Cows are by nature social animals. They can only live in a herd and they use their tongues for just about everything. Licking each other and exchanging scents calms tensions and helps promote good relations within the herd. But the main activity of the day for this fine animal is eating, which occupies 60% of its time. With its four stomachs somewhat akin to fermentation vats, a cow can digest all plant matter and can ingurgitate over 20 kilos of hay per day in winter. Today, however, Stern's peaceful existence is going to be seriously disrupted. For the first time in her life, she's tied up, standing to attention. It's shower time now to get her coat in ship-shaped condition. The younger cows watch the scene with curious eyes. Her initial surprise gives way to a pleasant sensation of well-being procured by the brushing. A cow's back is particularly sensitive, which enables it to feel a simple fly landing on its skin. Stern's now ready for the second phase of her preparation, still attentively watched by her young public. It's time to go to the beach to practice walking in step on a leash. Over time, a very close bond is formed between Sebastian and his cow. Stern trusts him implicitly and does what's asked of her with docility, a characteristic trait of cows used to men who treat them kindly. For Violaine and Sebastian, Stern's breeders, the stakes are large. The Pinot is one of the rarest breeds in France with barely 1,000 head of cattle. A few years ago, these cows almost completely disappeared from our landscape, their existence threatened by the agricultural barons who didn't think them profitable enough. So, winning the competition would be a kind of sweet revenge. The following day, it's in very typical Breton weather that Stern sets off for Paris. The sight of the cattle truck stresses the cow and she starts to panic. The 20-minute boat ride that takes them to the continent is a veritable ordeal for Stern, who moves about in agitation, nose to the wind, head held direct in search of reassuring signs. When she finally lands on terra firma, her torment comes to an end. It's in heavy drizzling rain that she leaves her native Brittany en route for Paris. Our story continues far away from Brittany, much farther to the east, in the heart of the Vanoise National Park, where winter is drawing to an end. After five months of being permanently cooped up inside their stable, Caline, Pompette, three fine abundance milk cows, and Gazelle, the Tarantez, with her tan colored coat and darkening around the eyes, are impatient to stretch their legs now that the spring thaw is here. With the first rays of sunshine, nature explodes. Flowers and insects know their score by heart and immediately get to work. At the farm, this return of spring announces the big day for our 35 cows, who are finally going to be let outside again. Everyone run for cover, it's time to unleash the beasts. Released at last from these long months of confinement in the stable, the cows enjoy the pleasures of their newfound freedom. Like children in a school playground, kicking and jumping helps loosen their muscles, but it's also a sign of contentment. Bovids instinctively seek contact with one another, so a little headbutt here and there enables them to reconnect, while the imperturbable Gazelle looks on. Before climbing up to the high pastures, the cows take advantage of the valley grasslands to reacquaint themselves with the smells, the taste of grass, and anything else that they can get their tongue around. Cows are social, empathic mammals, which can establish strong bonds of friendship from a very early age. So when they finally meet up again after the winter separation, they lick each other and smell each other for comfort and reassurance, or graze side by side as close friends might do. They re-establish bonds that are vital to their well-being, and thus form a united herd once again in just a few short hours. This return to the outdoors is also a time for re-establishing the herd's hierarchy, dictated by the herd instinct and relations of domination. Those who feel themselves capable of being a leader have to mark their territory. At the ripe age of seven, Gazelle the Tarantez enters the contest. She wants to be the herd leader. Skirmishes break out all over the field. Other candidates try to win their place in the hierarchy. With cows, there's no set age for pitting themselves against one another, but as a general rule, it's the oldest and the biggest ones who lay down the law. In these brief clashes, it suffices for one of the combatants to turn its flank, indicating submission to put an end to the fight. And sometimes it's Mouchette, the trained herding dog, who intervenes to separate the fighters. Very soon, there are just two contenders left, Gazelle and her ultimate rival. After an intense combat, Gazelle wins. From now on, she's the leader. It's often the most experienced cow, the one who knows how to deal with danger, who becomes the leader of the herd. This morning at the Roossey farm in Burgundy, Nougaro, our little male calf, wakes up alone. His mother has died from a sudden infection. His nose, still full of maternal pheromones, he looks for her. Without her and without milk, he's on borrowed time and his life's at risk. Guided by his survival instinct, he sets out in search of a life-saving udder as a calf can't last for more than a few hours without feeding. But in vain. The other cows don't allow themselves to be suckled by a calf they don't recognize. The situation becomes critical for the newborn, all the more so as every udder in the farm is already occupied by a calf. The next few hours will prove crucial. Alexander, the farmer, knows this and has to play the role of a wet nurse to supply him with the necessary eight daily liters of milk. A solution that can only be temporary. If Nougaro doesn't find a replacement maternal udder soon, he won't be able to survive. Has Aldo, the farm dog, sensed something? It seems so as he decides to keep watch over the young orphan. The next day, Alexander makes a last-ditch attempt. He wants to have Nougaro adopted by a cow that has just lost her calf. Alexander stimulates Nougaro's sucking reflex by having him suckle his fingers. Then pushes him towards a cow and lets nature take its course. Fortunately for the young calf, cows also adopt babies in the same way as humans. Through her gestures, the cow shows that she accepts Nougaro. Through rubbing and the play of hormonal alchemy, they exchange their scents, thus creating a strong attachment bond. In Paris, 620,000 visitors pass in front of the imposing cathedral that is the Porte de Versailles on their way to the International Agricultural Fair. It's in this overcrowded and noisy atmosphere, far from the calm of the Isle of Ars, that Sterne, the Breton Pinot, and her delegation arrive. After a night spent in the cattle truck, Sterne, who has never met any breed of cow other than her own, discovers the spotted Vosges, the hornless Normande, the Salaise Auvergne with its mahogany-colored coat and oversized horns, bulls weighing almost two tons, fortunately calm. In short, a whole host of bovids of different colors, sizes, and smells with whom she has never been in contact before. After this initial look around, Sterne is installed in the VIP area, in the front line, just opposite the main entrance. While Sterne's rivals seem to appreciate their comfortable bedding, our extremely sensitive Breton Pinot seems tetanized with fear. She's looking around for her familiar reference points in this hubbub of moose. Fortunately, Sebastian, ever attentive to the well-being of his protege, knows the right gestures to comfort her. His presence and his voice soothe her and calm her down. Reassured but exhausted by the journey and by all these emotions, our Breton Miss collapses with fatigue. She enters a phase of REM sleep, which for all mammals, including cows, is the time when we dream. A cow can rest up to 15 hours a day, so that allows them quite a bit of time for dreaming. But what is our Breton Miss dreaming about? Her island? The rest of the herd back at home in Brittany? It's a mystery that no one has yet solved. She wakes up, however, to the all-too-real sound of bagpipes. In a few minutes' time, the competition will begin. One last brushing session and it's time to head to the arena, where everything will be decided. In the aisles, the crowd of people seem too close for comfort. With her 330% vision, Stern feels oppressed. A very disagreeable sensation for this animal, which doesn't like being surrounded on all sides. It makes her feel too vulnerable. The competition begins with the parade event. Very quickly, some of the contestants start to panic. Too many people, too much noise, too much light. So beware of kicking and bucking, because the reactions of stressed cows can be quite violent. As for Stern, she keeps her composure, reassured by the presence of Sebastian, whom she picks out in the crowd. For the cow is very good at facial recognition. And now coming to the center of the ring, Azil, who was born in November 2016. And now Ushuaia, born in 1978. And then Idig, born on September 23rd, 2009. And now Stern. After her rivals have been inspected, it's now our heroine's turn to present herself before the merciless judges. Stern is examined from every angle with a fine-tooth comb. Does she have the perfect figure with her 1 meter 15 height at withers and her 450 kilos? Could these pretty layer-shaped symmetrical horns and the heart-shaped patch of white hair on her forehead win the judges over? After a few minutes of suspense and deliberation, the verdict is pronounced. So taking first place is cow number 7. And now it's time for Stern and Sebastian to come on the stage. A nice round of applause, everyone. And that's how one becomes, by unanimous decision of the jury, the proud owner of Miss Cow Beauty Queen. Our Breton Pinot is the ideal embodiment of her breed. She's been largely rewarded for all her efforts, and her breed has a bright future ahead of it. In Besson, on the Van Loise hillsides, Sebastian and Julian finalize their preparations for departure by hanging the traditional bells around the cows' necks. They will enable them to keep track of their animals. It's now time to lead the herd up to the summer pastures. A three-hour journey, if everything goes according to plan. The conditions are ideal for Gazelle and the herd's peaceful migration to the high pastures where they'll spend the summer. At an altitude of 2,500 meters, they'll find there a cocktail of flowers and exceptional pasture land, guaranteed 100% natural. Thus, they'll produce milk of excellent quality to make the famous Beaufort cheese. For Gazelle, our Tarantez, who's now the leader, it's her fifth migration. Having a very good photographic memory, she knows the way by heart and positions herself at the head of the herd. For animals weighing over 500 kilos, with limited binocular vision and poor depth perception, their steps are incredibly precise. Mouchette and Milou, the two border collies, are on the lookout, making sure that all the cows advance in a solid rank without any stragglers. As the herd passes the 2,000-meter threshold, one of the cows starts lagging behind. Kaleen, one of the older members of the herd, who's doing her 12th migration, shows worrying signs of weakness. With the risk of bad weather and injuries, these climbs aren't without danger for the animals. In front, Gazelle, as herd leader, sets the pace. As in all herds, a few of the cows lead the way while the others trustingly follow them. The tinkling of the cow bells is continuous. At this pace, the cows will soon be leaving the valley behind them. A last glance around and then a few meters ahead, the untamed world will take over. Until now, groundhogs, ibex and vultures lived in peace on their territory in the Vanuatu National Park, safe from intruders. But the arrival of the cows announces a period of forced cohabitation to which the untamed animals will soon adjust. After a climb of three hours, as planned, the herd with Gazelle at the head reaches its destination. For this ascent, the cows have once again shown their surprising powers of endurance and adaptability. Thirsty from their effort, the cows drink up to five liters of water a minute from this spring, which serves as a veritable rejuvenation treatment. This Garden of Eden that they come to each year at the same period is a true cow's paradise. Thanks to their excellent memory, they quickly find their bearings again, immediately recognizing the flowers, plants, and sights as though they'd only just left them. Here in the high pastures, in this green paradise, the cows are quite simply happy. These peaceful animals have a real propensity for happiness, and this is reflected by the quality and quantity of milk they produce. With Gazelle at the head, all the cows are now here, even the courageous Kaleen. But her condition is a cause for concern. At this altitude, a weakened animal is inevitably vulnerable. Especially if, in the heart of summer, as often happens in the mountains, the weather becomes overcast and stormy. This rising mist that can turn into pea soup fog makes the cows uneasy. They're sensitive to weather changes which affect their mood. So the herd stays close together. While some of them lie down, others remain standing to keep a lookout, a group behavioral trait that protects them from possible danger. In recent years, the wolf has made its reappearance in the Vanuatu National Park, venturing closer and closer to man's territory. In the past, this young lone male never came too close to the cow herd, but he's not afraid anymore. The wolf discreetly observes the herd. At this moment, the untamed and tamed worlds have never been in such close proximity. For their part, the cows haven't heard anything, which is rare because these animals have such keen hearing that they can hear a leaf falling to the ground. Only Gironde, whose turn it is to be on watch, has detected something unusual in the landscape. Even though at this distance, her eyesight doesn't enable her to properly distinguish the wolf, she sensed something moving in that direction. Gironde immediately lets out a series of moos to alert the herd, which instantaneously understands the message. Contrary to popular belief, cows don't give in easily to panic and control themselves very well. Gironde moves intentionally closer to the farm, thus alerting both Julian and his dogs of the danger. Mouchette, always on the lookout, urges on the stragglers, like Colleen, who's lagging behind alone at the back of the herd. This time, the wolf has understood. He has no choice but to flee. The hillside is calm again now, and our cows go back to their grazing activities, happy and relaxed, ready to produce their excellent mountain milk. Far from the mountain pastures in Burgundy, the entire herd, with Nougaro at the head, sets off for the fields. It's a first for the calves who up until now have only known the tranquility of a straw bed, with a roof over their head, their muzzle pressed close to their mother's legs. A short wagon ride, and then it'll be the great leap into the unknown. They'll discover the lush green pastures and the untamed world filled with strange-looking creatures. Mr. Fox, who had appropriated the area for himself, is going to have to learn to share it. As soon as they're let loose, the older cows instinctively start inspecting the territory as a security measure. They thus indicate to their young the limits not to go beyond. Nougaro is fascinated by the sights of the adults who resume their usual habits and engage in activities he's never witnessed before. Like this jousting session to determine who'll be the herd leader. Nougaro observes and learns how to do it himself later. He discovers this other new activity. And by imitation, he starts doing it too, just like his mother. The learning process continues. Nougaro's mother now teaches her young how to get rid of parasites and thus protect themselves against infections. For cows, the sole means they have to teach their young is through the repetition of gestures. Invisibly, Nougaro learns fast. Very quickly, the adults, via a gentle head nudge, encourage their young to venture out into the world in their turn. So Nougaro and the other calves set off on a mad frolic to express their joy at being out in the pasture. But when the herd leader musters the troops to go and graze elsewhere, they all immediately stand to attention. They all herd together. All except Nougaro, who's taking a nap and misses the departure signal. From a very early age, bulls are more solitary in nature and always remain a little apart from the rest of the herd. In Brittany, on the Isle of Arz, life has returned to normal. Stern, now back from her Parisian escapade, has taken up summer residence with the other cows of the herd facing the sea. An ideal site for balmy nights, where they can take full advantage of the sun-warmed earth. At daybreak, Stern and the other early risers start their day with an indispensable ritual. As a cow can drink up to 100 liters of water a day, it's not surprising that they evacuate a veritable Niagara of urine. After 10 days at the agricultural fair, Stern has traded the Parisian crowd for that of the animals which colonize the island's meadows at this time of the year. Leaving the men at a good distance away. In short, Stern has returned to her little green paradise. A paradise that nonetheless houses some other little creatures she could well do without. These draughted flies, irresistibly drawn to the mineral salts found on the skin and in the tears of the cows. Luckily, nature has done things right and endowed Stern with a formidable swatting device. But despite this famous appendage, she's still outnumbered by the flies who win by a technical knockout. In a few days' time, Stern will give birth to her eighth calf and will never leave her island again. At the Roussea farm in Burgundy, Nguro the calf has overcome all the difficulties in his turbulent life. One day, he too will be the lord of the manor, having become a fine and proud breeding bull. He'll no doubt be sent to another livestock farm to avoid inbreeding and will have the heavy responsibility of ensuring the next generation of Charolais cows.