1. Cows have a complex digestive system, which they need to process grass into carbohydrates. 2. Cows produce methane when they digest food, which they release as flatulence. Twenty-five percent of the methane polluting the atmosphere in the United States comes from cows. 3. Scientists are currently trying to alter the genetic makeup of the basic cow, in an attempt to lower the amount of methane gas they produce during digestion. 4. In America, cowboys were originally called 'cowherds.' Australians and New Zealanders call them “jackaroos” or “jillaroos”; and, in Latin America, they are called 'vaqueros' or 'gauchos.' 5. In <a href='https://www.factretriever.comhttps://www.factretriever.com/interesting-africa-facts'>Africa</a>, cattle are bred and raised by nomadic herders who have no home base; they roam in small groups and use their herds for their own subsistence as well as for trading. 8. The beef from the Japanese Wagyu breeds of cattle is typically graded two degrees higher than the best prime beef produced in the United States. 17. Wagyu beef, generally held to be some of the best beef in the world, usually comes from cows raised in Japan with such luxuries as massages, a better diet, and longer life spans before being butchered. 27. Cows originated in the British Isles and Europe. Humans domesticated cows between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago. 28. Jersey cows are a breed of cattle that is particularly valued and guarded for their purity. 29. The curled horns of the Ayrshire breed of cows can grow to over 12-inches long, although the impractical horns are usually removed when the calf is still young. 30. 'Kobe' beef is often bought at exorbitant prices by unsuspecting consumers who assume they are buying prime Japanese Wagyu beef. 31. One important parameter that determines the primeness of a piece of beef is the amount of marbling; more marbling means more veins of fat that will then melt into the beef when cooked, making the meat soft, moist, and more tasty.