I used to work with my kids at a dairy farmer’s farm when he had to travel for medical purposes. Those cows absolutely knew we were not the regular humans for there and actually seemed to help us out more than I had seen them cooperate with the farmer. They also knew that my youngest, at the time, was somewhat afraid of them. They always begged him for more feed at milking time and he would give it. They weren’t dumb animals, cooperated with us and the barn cats and came in during the evening time easier than when the farmer friend did it. Of course, we didn’t hit them with anything either. So yes, they have consciousness, IMHO, Perhaps not exactly like ours, though.