Friendships to C(r)ow about

The Hindu : Sci-Tech / Science : Cows ‘too have best friends and get stressed when separated’: "Cows are more clever than you thought - they also have best friends and become stressed if they are separated, a British scientist has claimed.

Krista McLennan, who made the discovery while working on her PhD at Northampton University, believes her findings could help improve milk yields.

In her study, the 27-year-old measured the heart rates and cortisol levels of cows to see how they cope when isolated.

Cattle were penned on their own, with their best friend or with another cow they did not know for 30 minutes and their heart rates were measured at 15-second intervals.

The research showed cows were very social animals which often formed close bonds with friends in their herd, the ‘Daily Mail’ reported.

She said, “When heifers have their preferred partner with them, their stress levels in terms of their heart rates are reduced compared with if they’re with a random individual."