The quote is in reference to cows of course. Apparently a cow was blamed for causing a condensate spill at a production facility in North Dakota. The alleged perpetrater could have been or curious or “had an itch that needed scratching,” according to an Associated Press story running in local papers.

“They just get rubbing along those valves and they open up,” Glatt said. “Sometimes they need to scratch their backs and they open those valves.” – State Environmental Health Chief Dave Glatt, as reported by the AP via the Bismarck Tribune

About 20 barrels of natural gas condensate were spilled.

“Sometimes they can be the dumbest animals in the world and sometimes you kind of wonder,” Glatt said.