WHAT
IS A GOAT?
The
goat, along with sheep, were among the earliest domesticated
animals. Goat remains have been found at archaeological
sites in western Asia, such as Jericho, Choga, Mami,
Djeitun and Cayonu, which allows domestication of
the goats to be dated at between 6000 and 7000 B.C.
However, unlike sheep, their ancestry is fairly clear.
The
major contributor of modern goats is the Bezoar goat
which is distributed from the mountains of Asia Minor
across the Middle East to Sind.1 The six traditional
breeds of goats are Nubian, Alpine, Saanen, Toggenburg,
LaMancha, and Oberhasli. Other breeds which are growing
in popularity include Pygmy, Boer, Cashmere, and Angora.
Almost all goats are born with horns, but most goats
(except for Pygmies) are dehorned at a young age to
protect both the goat and humans.
