Goats FactsAbout the animals at Clark's Elioak Petting Farm
Goats
Many of the goats at the farm are Pygmy Goats. The Pygmy Goat first came to America in 1959 from West Africa. The Pygmy is a hardy, alert and animated animal. They are good-natured and make great pets. On the farm, they can graze hard-to-reach places and are easily adaptable to a wide variety of settings and climates. Pygmy Goats often have grizzled hair which means light and dark hairs are mixed together. We also have Boer Goats which are mostly white and light brown. They have floppy ears and are a meat breed from Africa.
FUN FACTS ABOUT GOATS
Goats are ruminants, like cows. They have 4 compartments in their stomachs and cloven hooves.
Goats were the first animals domesticated by man in 10,000 B.C. They were the first animals to be used for milk by humans. Even today worldwide, more people eat and drink milk from goats than any other animals. There are 450 million goats around the world.
Boer Goats are breed of goat originally from Africa used mostly for meat. The word Boer comes from the Dutch word meaning farmer. They can weigh between 100 and 225 pounds.
Both male and female goats can have beards.
Wattles are those little tufts of hair that covers the skin that dangles from the throat of some goats. Wattles serve no function and are thought to be remnants of gill slits that mammals shared somewhere back down the revolutionary tree.
Goats, both male and female, can be born with or without horns (polled).
Goats don't have front teeth on their top jaw. They scoop up their food with their tongue and lips! It tickles!
Goats do not like to get wet and prefer to seek shelter when it is raining.
Goats are quite agile and love to climb and jump.
Goats are very social animals.
Goat's milk is easily digestible and less allergenic than cow's milk and is higher in calcium, vitamin A and niacin than cow's milk.
Goat meat is lower in fat and cholesterol than beef, pork, mutton and poultry.
Goats are herbivores (plant-eaters) that spend most of their day grazing.
Tennessee Stiff-Leg, also known as the wooden leg or fainting goat, is native to the United States. This breed suffers from recessive trait called myotopia. When frightened, this animal will experience extreme muscle stiffness causing extension of the neck and hind legs before it topples over on to the ground.
Coffee was first discovered when goat herders noticed their goats acting very energetic after nibbling on coffee beans.