Lessons From A Dairy Cow: Exploring Enrichment Beyond Companion Animals

Walk into any pet store today, and you'll find shelves dedicated to enrichment: puzzle feeders, lick mats, snuffle mats, and treat-dispensing games. All are designed to encourage natural hunting behaviors and engagement. For many pet owners, enrichment has become a familiar part of how dogs and cats interact with their environments.

Similarly, I had always associated enrichment with cats and dogs, frequently purchasing these products for my own cat. I never really considered what enrichment might look like for other animals until I spent a semester on a dairy farm.

It was 5:00 a.m., and I was an exhausted senior in college who had signed up to assist with a dairy cattle welfare study. My teaching assistant quickly learned I was not exactly the “farm kid” she may have been hoping for when I showed up with no prior cattle experience and a pair of old running shoes.

But over the next 15 weeks, I discovered something unexpected in the cows’ behaviors; they felt surprisingly familiar. I noticed the same curiosity, exploration, and social interactions that we so often encourage in our pets.

This experience made me rethink what enrichment really means. It is easy to associate enrichment with the products we might already buy for our pets, but the concept is much broader. Across species, enrichment is ultimately about creating opportunities for animals to engage in behaviors that are meaningful and natural to them.

Understanding Enrichment Across Species

Enrichment is not a one-size-fits-all concept. Environmental enrichment generally refers to modifications or opportunities within an animal’s environment that encourage species-specific behaviors and interactions.

For companion animals, enrichment may include activities such as problem-solving, chewing, climbing, or general play. These activities are designed around behaviors that are naturally mentally stimulating to those species.

For dairy cattle, enrichment takes a different form. It may include opportunities for grooming, scratching, and social interaction. Rather than applying the same activities used for dogs and cats, researchers look at the behaviors cattle naturally perform and how their environment can provide opportunities to express them.

Understanding behavior is key to effective enrichment. Although there is a lot to learn from different species, enrichment starts with understanding the biology and motivations of the particular species being studied.

Dairy Cattle Behavior

Similar to understanding cats and dogs, livestock must also be studied and researched to gain a better understanding of their needs. Organizations such as the Dairyland Initiative at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the University of British Columbia’s Animal Welfare Program, and the University of Melbourne Animal Welfare Science Centre have all contributed to a greater understanding of dairy cattle behavior, housing, and management practices. Their work examines how factors such as social interactions, physical environments, and daily routines influence cattle behavior.

Studies have shown that cattle are social animals capable of forming relationships within their herds. They also demonstrate behaviors such as grooming, exploration, and play, particularly during early life. These behaviors help researchers identify opportunities for cattle to engage with their environment in ways that are meaningful to the species.

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated physical environmental enrichment in indoor housed cattle. The review examined 33 peer-reviewed studies and found that enrichment was associated with changes in behavioral outcomes, including increased locomotor play (moving the entire body from point A to point B by walking, running, or leaping) in calves and heifers.

However, the effects were not the same across all cattle. Responses varied based on factors such as the type of enrichment, the animal’s age, and the housing environment. It is important to note that the evidence was weighted toward younger cattle, particularly calves and heifers and primarily dairy cattle, although beef cattle were still represented.

This variation is important and reflects what we see in cats and dogs. A young, highly motivated puppy may benefit from interactive physical play, while an older dog may prefer stationary puzzles. Similarly, some cats may be highly motivated by opportunities to stalk and chase, while others prefer food centered activities.

Effective enrichment is not simply a matter of adding an object to a pen or giving a dog a toy. Those taking care of animals, whether livestock or domestic, must consider the individual animal’s needs and provide opportunities that are meaningful to their environment.

What Does Enrichment Look Like for Dairy Cattle?

One of the most recognized examples of dairy cattle enrichment is the mechanical grooming brush—a brush with a rotating bristle head. These brushes allow cattle to groom themselves, and research has shown that cattle voluntarily seek out and use them.

A study of dairy heifers with no prior experience with brushes found that they began using the brushes within minutes of being introduced to them, primarily for grooming and oral manipulation. The findings suggest that cattle recognized the brush as an opportunity to engage in behaviors they would naturally perform.

Other examples include scratching devices, safely hung balls or ropes, and novel objects that encourage exploration and natural behaviors.

Research also suggests that enrichment does not have to be complicated to influence behavior. A 2024 study examining simple enrichment for housed dairy cows explored how introducing a novel object (a sailing buoy) influenced behavioral patterns. The researchers observed changes in behaviors such as self-grooming and activity levels after the object was introduced, showing that even a relatively simple change to the environment can influence how cattle behave.

Where Does Enrichment Research Go Next?

A puzzle feeder that encourages a dog to forage would not serve the same purpose for a dairy cow. Enrichment starts with understanding the animal and the behaviors that matter to it.

For example, my cat is highly food motivated, so I have purchased enrichment toys that fling treats across the room for her to chase, as well as toys that hide a treat within themselves. They work because they tap into behaviors she naturally enjoys. Trust me, I have plenty of “failed” enrichment items too, ones that simply didn’t work for her. The same principle applies across species: Effective enrichment starts with understanding the animal in front of you.

I went into that semester thinking enrichment was something I bought for my cat. I left with a broader understanding of how enrichment can look across species and how much we can learn by simply paying attention (and wearing better shoes).

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About the Author

Anna Guilfoyle is a Product Innovation Analyst at BSM Partners. She earned her bachelor's degree in Animal Science with a minor in Pet Food Science from Kansas State University. During her undergraduate studies, Anna supported research in animal welfare and completed coursework in food safety, product development, and pet food processing. She also holds a PCQI certification in human food production.

She has internship experience in companion animal nutrition including formulation and production support across various product types. Anna enjoys blending creativity with science to support innovation within the industry. She is passionate about improving the well-being of animals and has cared for a wide range of species from companion animals to production animals.