2LearnCapra hircus
Goat
The goat was domesticated from the wild bezoar ibex of the Middle East and is kept for milk, meat and fibre such as mohair and cashmere. Goats are browsers that prefer leaves, shrubs and weeds to grass. They are hardy, inquisitive and well suited to small…
Keeping
How it is kept
Kept for
- Dairy
- Meat
- Fibre
- Mature weight
- 35–120 kg
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Gestation
- 150 days
- Temperament
- Curious, intelligent and sociable; skilled escape artists
- Forage
- Browsers that prefer shrubs, hedges and weeds to grass, with good hay and goat minerals. Milking does need extra feed.
- Housing
- Dry, draught-free shelter, since goats dislike rain. Fencing must be very secure, as they climb, jump and squeeze through gaps.
- Good to know
- Goats need the company of other goats. Hooves need trimming every few weeks to months, depending on the ground. Many garden shrubs are poisonous to goats, so check what they can reach over and through fences.
Breeds
Goat breeds
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