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The goat was first domesticated in 10,000 BCE and was the first animal to be used for its milk. There are over 450 million goats in the world and 210 different species. The largest population of goats is 170 million in China.
See the fact file below for more information on Goats or alternatively download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Facts About Goats
- According to archaeological evidence, goats are one of the oldest domesticated species of animal. Stone age farmers started herding wild goats to get easy access to milk and meat.
- Goats are a member of the animal family Bovidae and the tribe Caprini and are closely
- Goats were brought to America by Columbus in 1493.
- A goat that is well cared for can live between 15 and 18 years long.
- A large group of goats is called a herd.
- Female goats are called does or nannies, while young goats are called kids. Male goats are called bucks or billies.
- If a male goat is castrated, it is called a wether.
- The words “hircine” and “caprine” both refer to anything having a goat-like quality.
- There are over 300 different breeds of goats and well over 450 million around the world.
- China is believed to have the most goats in the world.
- It is speculated that coffee was first discovered by goat herders when they noticed the animals having an unusual amount of energy after eating coffee beans.
- Goats readily revert to the wild (become feral) if given the opportunity. The only domestic animal known to return to feral life as swiftly is the cat.
Size, Anatomy, and Breeding
- Each breed of goat has specific weight ranges, which vary from over 140 kg (300 lb) for bucks of larger breeds such as the Boer, to 20 to 27 kg (45 to 60 lb) for smaller female goats.
- The smallest breed of goats are miniature breeds like the African Pygmy goat which is only 41 to 58 cm (16 to 23 in) tall at the shoulder.
- Most goats naturally have two horns, of various shapes and sizes depending on the breed.
- Their horns are made of living bone surrounded by keratin and are used for defense, dominance, and territoriality.
- Goats have a four-chambered stomach consisting of:
- The rumen, which is the largest compartment and is used for storage
- The reticulum, which is the smallest compartment, is known as the “honeycomb”
- The omasum whose main function is to absorb water and nutrients from the digestible feed.
- The abomasum, which is like the human stomach, is referred to as the “true stomach”.
- As with other mammal ruminants like cows, sheep, and camels, they are even-toed ungulates.
- Female goats have an udder consisting of two teats that provide milk for kids.
- Goat eyes have horizontal, slit-shaped pupils.
- Goats have no tear ducts.
- Both male and female goats may have beards.
- Gestation is approximately 150 days.
- Single, twin and even triplet births are common.
- Birthing is known as kidding.
- Freshening (coming into milk production) occurs at kidding.
What Do Goats Eat?
- Goats are reputed to be willing to eat almost anything, including tin cans and cardboard boxes.
- While goats will not actually eat inedible material, they will chew on and taste just about anything remotely resembling plant matter to decide whether it is good to eat, including cardboard, clothing, and paper.
- Aside from sampling many things, goats are quite particular in what they actually consume, preferring to browse on the tips of woody shrubs and trees, as well as the occasional broad-leaved plant.
- Their plant diet is extremely varied and includes some species toxic to other animals.
- Goat-rearing is most often free-ranging since stall-fed goat-rearing involves extensive upkeep and is seldom commercially viable.
- Goats are released onto the tea terraces where they avoid consuming the green tea leaves (which contain bitter-tasting substances) but instead eat the weeds.
- The goats’ droppings then fertilize the tea plants.
Goat Products and Uses
Milk
- Milk production varies with the breed, age, quality, and diet of the doe. On average, a good quality dairy doe will give at least 3 kg (6 lb) of milk per day while she is in milk.
- Goats produce about 2% of the world’s total annual milk supply.
- Goat milk has less cholesterol than cow’s milk.
- Goat milk is easily digestible and less allergenic than cow’s milk.
- Goat milk is higher in calcium, vitamin A and niacin than cows’ milk.
Butter, Yogurt, and Cheese
- Goat butter is white because goats produce milk with the yellow beta-carotene converted to a colorless form of vitamin A.
- Goat milk is commonly processed into yogurt, cheese, ice cream, and other products.
Meat
- Goat meat is a great source of nutrients, including protein, iron, vitamin B12, zinc, and potassium.
- It’s also low in total fat and saturated fat compared with other forms of red meat.
- The taste of goat kid meat is similar to that of spring lamb meat.
Wool
- The Angora breed of goats produces long, curling, lustrous locks of mohair. The entire body of the goat is covered with mohair and there are no guard hairs. The locks constantly grow to four inches or more in length. The wool is shorn twice a year and used in the textile industry.
- Most goats have soft insulating hairs nearer the skin, which goes by the names down, cashmere, and pashmina and this is used for textile manufacture.
Other Goat Product Uses
- The intestine of goats is still used to make “catgut” which is used as a material for internal human surgical sutures
- It is also used as strings for musical instruments.
- Historically, goat hide was used for water and wine bottles, in both traveling and transporting wine for sale.
- Also, goat bones, hair, and sinew were used for clothing, building, and tools.
- Their dung is also used as fuel.
- Goats have been used by humans to clear unwanted vegetation for centuries. They have been described as “eating machines”
Goats and Human Culture
- The goat is one of the 12-year cycles of animals that appear in the Chinese zodiac. Each animal is associated with certain personality traits; those born in a year of the goat are predicted to be shy, introverted, creative, and perfectionist.
- Goats are mentioned many times in the Bible. Their importance in ancient Israel is indicated by the seven different Hebrew and three Greek terms used in the Bible.
Goats Worksheets
This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use Goats Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about the first domesticated animal in history. Did you know? The goat was first domesticated in 10,000 BCE and was the first animal to be used for its milk. Learn more about goats using these fun and exciting worksheets.
Download includes the following worksheets
- Goat Facts
- The Myotragus
- Quick Quiz
The Goat
- Goat Anatomy
- Digestive Functions
- Domestic Goats Wordfind
- Wild Goats Match
- Raising a Goat
- G.O.A.T
- Reading Comprehension
- Goat Acrostics
- Key Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Do goats make good pets?
Like all pets, goats require constant good-quality care. Some people like keeping goats as pets because they form close bonds with humans and will stay close because of their herd mentality.
Are goats smart or dumb?
It depends on your definition of intelligence! Goats have very high spatial and motor intelligence to navigate tricky terrain. They can also be taught their name and come when called. Do you think this makes them smart?
Do goats faint?
Not all goats faint. The Tennessee fainting goat is famous for fainting. It does this because of a genetic mutation that causes its muscles to freeze when it is startled and it doesn’t actually lose consciousness.
Do goats communicate?
Goats communicate with each other by bleating. They also warn each other of danger by making a sneezing sound.
Do goats like water?
Generally, goats prefer to stay away from water. They will jump over streams and puddles rather than walk through them.
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Link will appear as Goat Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 26, 2017
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.