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Goats managing the landscape alongside German autobahn A59. Goats have been used by humans to clear unwanted vegetation for centuries. They have been described as "eating machines" and "biological control agents".
May 27, 2024 · Learn about goats, ruminant and hollow-horned mammals belonging to the genus Capra, related to sheep. Find out about their domestication, milk production, wool, meat, and various breeds.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- A goat is any ruminant and hollow-horned mammal belonging to the genus Capra. Related to the sheep, the goat is lighter in build and has horns that...
- Goats are browsers: they like to keep their heads up to eat available foliage. Goats are especially valued for eating inexpensive nutrient sources,...
- According to Martin Banks, a professor of optometry at University of California at Berkeley, goats have developed horizontal pupils in order to sur...
- If a goat’s horns are not removed, they will continue to grow throughout the goat’s life. Generally, goat horns reach a length of anywhere from 8 t...
- Goat horns can be removed through disbudding or dehorning. Disbudding involves destroying the corium of the horn bud without causing significant da...
- The LaMancha Goat. Considered dairy goats, these animals are hardy and can stand up to most weather conditions. The LaMancha goat has tiny ears and a big round belly.
- The Alpine Goat. Alpine Goats come from the Swiss Alps and were introduced to the rest of the world many decades ago. These goats are large in size, with males growing to 32 inches tall as adults.
- The Toggenburg Goat. It is thought that this goat breed is one of the oldest in the world. The Toggenburg goat has long, erect ears and a long beard that gives them a wise look.
- The Nubian Goat. Nubian goats are cute, affectionate, entertaining, and full of personality. They make excellent pets, but they are also efficient milk producers.
Learn about goats, their history, behaviour, uses and types. Find out how goats are ruminants, herbivores, pets and producers of milk and fibre.
- French-Alpine. Alpine goats originated in the Swiss Alps but were bred to be larger in France, where they were renamed French-Alpines. They are also referred to as alpine dairy goats and exhibit a classic goat appearance with their straight profiles, erect ears, and horns.
- LaMancha. The American LaMancha was bred in Oregon, but the roots of the breed can be traced back to Spain. These goats are known for their extremely short ear pinnae (the visible portion of the outer ear).
- Pygmy. The pygmy goat is known—and widely adored—for its short stature. It was originally bred from a combination of dwarf goats in the U.K. Its limbs are not proportionate to its body, creating a compact appearance.
- Saanen. The Saanen is a large goat—the average height for does is 32 inches and for bucks, 37 inches—and heavy milk producer. It is the most productive milking goat in Switzerland and one of the most productive in the world.
Learn about the goat, a domesticated species of goat-antelope related to sheep and cattle. Find out its origin, mythology, habits, diet, mating, population and more.
Researchers believe that the original descendants of our modern domestic Goats lived in Asia. However, you can now find these creatures on every continent except Antarctica. Feral populations also live in Australia, Hawaii, the Galapagos, and more.