10 Little Known Facts About Goats

by Gina Marcell, Mountain Goat Lodge

We all love trivia, especially when it’s about animals. Here are 10 goat facts you probably didn’t know:

1. Goats are pack animals, and some goats get so close to their lifelong companion that they have been known to die soon after their companion dies.

2. Goats have horizontal slit shaped pupils so they can see almost all the way around to the back of their heads, thus warning them of approaching predators.

3. Goats are intelligent and mischievous and can figure out how to escape from many enclosures.

4. Goat intelligence carries over into what they choose to eat, especially if they need a special plant to make themselves feel better (i.e. tobacco for worms, charcoal for upset tummies).

5. The majority of goats are horned, both male and female — and do not shed their horns like an elk or deer. Their horns act as radiators and help to keep them cool in the hot summer months. Their horns are filled partially with blood and nerves and most goats love to have their horns scratched.

6. Goat milk has smaller fat molecules and is thus much easier to digest than cow’s milk.

7. Goat’s milk rarely contains more fat than cow’s milk. Rather, the butterfat content has to do with the breed of goat, their particular genetic makeup, time of lactation and their diet.

8. Goats will not eat just anything. Sure, if they are starving to death, they may try to eat something odd, like a car tire, but most of the tales of goats eating everything comes from them mouthing things — such as your clothing while you are petting them.

9. Goats have to produce offspring (“kids”) in order to produce milk.

10. The term “he’s got your goat” refers to the practice of stealing a racing horse’s goat companion the night before a race, in order to stress the horse out and throw the race. Goats make wonderful horse companions.

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Reprinted with permission from Gina Marcell

Gina Marcell is the owner of Mountain Goat Lodge, a relaxing B&B in Colorado. She has a background in hospitality and 20 years in customer service for the Airline and Travel Industry. Gina became a passionate lover of goats after adopting some orphaned baby goats. That experience grew into a hobby of rescuing unwanted goats, rehabilitating, and then re-homing them as pets. Gina has mentored teens in all aspects of goat husbandry and will continue to educate others to the benefits of goat ownership. She enjoys making goat cheese and uses fresh goat milk, goat cheese, and fresh eggs in the wonderful meals and snacks she serves to guests. Find out more at the Mountain Goat Lodge blog.

Keep your goat healthy and happy with the variety of goat supplies available from Jeffers Livestock.