science current event

The article I read is about how pigs can use mirrors (article name, Who's that sexy swine http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/1106/2). A team of animal welfare scientists at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom placed eight domesticated pigs, two at a time, in a pen with a mirror for 5 hours. Since pigs are social, they prefer having a another pig in a pen; plus they could also observe others actions and movements in the mirror. At first, the pigs studied their reflected images and movements; some grunted at their image, and one banged the mirror so hard with its nose, it broke the glass. "They initially interpret the image as another pig," says lead author and animal welfare scientist Donald Broom. That's a classic error that most species never get beyond.
The scientists say this could help the welfare of pigs but I disagree. I do not think knowing how to look at yourself is of any relevance to your general welfare. Honestly i thin just the fact that they're seeing which animals can successfully use mirrors is not very smart. I can imagine someone majoring in mirror usage for animals. I personally think scientists need to find a better way to spend their time.