Test Your Knowledge of Goats

The Domesticated Mammal (Capra hircus)

• Goats are a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock, and were domesticated from the wild goat of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe.

• There are over 300 distinct breeds of goat, used for milk, meat, fur, and skins across much of the world.

• Female goats are referred to as does or nannies, intact males are called bucks or billies, and juvenile goats of both sexes are called kids.

• In 2011, there were more than 924 million goats living in the world, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

• The goat is one of the oldest domesticated species of animal, with archaeological evidence indicating domestication occurred in Iran 10,000 years ago.

• Goats have been used for their milk, which is often turned into goat cheese.

• Goats have horizontal, slit-shaped pupils and no tear ducts.

• Both male and female goats may have beards, and many types of goat may have wattles, one dangling from each side of the neck.

• Goats are browsing animals, preferring to eat the tips of woody shrubs and trees, as well as the occasional broad-leaved plant.

• Goats are naturally curious, agile, and well known for their ability to climb and balance in precarious places, making them the only ruminant to regularly climb trees.

• Goats are intelligent and have been found to be as intelligent as dogs by some studies. They are also naturally communicative with humans, and will look to a human for assistance when faced with a challenge that had previously been mastered.

• Domesticated animals have the capacity for complex communication with humans, and research into human-goat interaction could offer overall improvement in the animals' welfare.Facts About Goats

• Goats are intelligent, capable of complex communication, and able to form bonds.

• Goats are subject to a number of diseases, including respiratory diseases, foot rot, internal parasites, pregnancy toxicosis, and feed toxicity.

• Goats can transmit a number of zoonotic diseases to people, such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, Q fever, and rabies.

• The life expectancy of goats is between 15 and 18 years, but this can be reduced by various factors.

• Goats are used for milk, meat, fiber, manure, and driving and packing purposes.

• The intestine of goats is used to make "catgut" for internal human surgical sutures and strings for musical instruments.

• India, Bangladesh, and Sudan are the top producers of goat milk, and India slaughters 41% of 124.4 million goats each year.

• Husbandry practices for goats vary by region and culture, and distinct breeds are kept for dairy and meat production.

• Goat meat can be prepared in a variety of ways and is considered similar in taste to spring lamb meat.

• Goat milk is commonly processed into cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt, cajeta, and other products.

• The Angora breed of goats produces long, curling, lustrous locks of mohair, while the cashmere goat produces a commercial quantity of cashmere wool.

• Goats have been used by humans to clear unwanted vegetation for centuries, and this practice has become popular in North America for invasive species removal.

• Some countries' militaries use goats to train combat medics due to their anatomy and physiology being similar to that of humans.Facts and Myths About Goats

• Goats can form close bonds with their human guardians due to their herd mentality.

• Goats require a wide range of food, including hay, chaffhaye, grain feed or pelleted grain mix, and loose minerals.

• Goat breeds fall into overlapping categories such as dairy, fiber, meat, skins, and as companion animals.

• Goat breeders' clubs frequently hold shows where goats are judged on traits relating to conformation, udder quality, evidence of high production, longevity, build and muscling.

• The American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) scorecard for an adult doe includes a point system of a hundred total with major categories.

• The goat is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar.

• The goat has had a lingering connection with Satanism and pagan religions, even into modern times.

• Goats are mentioned many times in the Bible, and a goat is considered a "clean" animal by Jewish dietary laws.

• In Matthew 25:31–46, Jesus said that like a shepherd he will separate the nations placing on his right hand the sheep.

• Feral goats readily revert to the wild if given the opportunity, and have established themselves in many areas.

• The Gävle Goat is a giant version of the Yule Goat, erected every year in the Swedish city of Gävle.

• According to Norse mythology, the god of thunder, Thor, has a chariot that is pulled by the goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr.

Do you know everything there is to know about goats? Test your knowledge with our quiz on the domesticated mammal, Capra hircus. From their origins as one of the oldest domesticated species to their uses for milk, meat, fiber, and even surgical sutures, this quiz covers a wide range of goat-related facts and myths. Learn about their intelligence, communication abilities, and curious nature, as well as the diseases they can transmit to humans. So, are you ready to prove