The real GOAT
Dec 6, 2024 | By: Kieran McConville
Chickens, sheep, cattle, pigs, donkeys, and camels all play an important role in the global livestock lineup, but we are here to posit the case that this hairy horned hoofer is, in fact, the greatest of all time.
Our oldest friend
Millions of the people we work with around the world depend in some way on livestock for food, income, traction, or travel. We've already paid our dues elsewhere to the indefatigable Donkey and the incredible Camel, but for sheer ubiquitousness and all-round functionality, there's really nothing to compare to Capra hirscus, also known as the Goat*.
Goats were among the first animals to be domesticated by humans, around 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East, which today encompasses Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. Today, they are present on every continent in the world, except Antarctica, and recent estimates put their global population at around 1.1 billion. But, honestly, who’s counting?
Fun fact: Goats are incredible climbers and can scale steep cliffs, trees, and pretty much anything with ease, thanks to their strong legs and specialized hooves that are hard on top with soft pads for traction. This makes them hard to contain but great for Goat yoga.
Goats come in all shapes and sizes. The FAO reckons there are over 1,000 different breeds worldwide, ranging from the shaggy Damascus Goat to the sleek Kalahari Red to the small hardy Spanish Goats popular in Haiti. This diversity reflects the adaptability of goats to various environments and their importance in agriculture across different regions. Then of course there’s the legendary Myotonic Goat, made famous by an endless stream of viral videos demonstrating its unique trait of “fainting” when startled.
Popular lore has it that Goats will eat just about anything, from the crops in your field to the shirt on your back. In real life though, they’re actually quite picky eaters. Their preference is for shrubs, weeds, and vines, which makes them well suited to the often-inhospitable environments in which Concern works. Often, they will eat plants that are toxic to other animals. Having said all that, Goats are naturally curious animals, so if they see something vaguely food-like they’ll probably give it a bit of a chew, just in case.
Fun fact: Like cows, Goats have a four-chambered stomach, which helps them digest tough plant material efficiently. Goats do not have teeth on their upper jaw.
Their reputation for sturdiness and survival, along with their value in human nutrition makes Goats the most popular of all the four-legged food sources in low and middle-income countries. They can breed twice in a calendar year, with twins being the usual result. Baby goats are called kids, but they don’t get much time to enjoy childhood, as puberty can begin as early as 3 months. Generally though, owners tend to wait until does (females) are about a year old before letting the bucks (males) have their wicked way.
If they’re lucky, Goats will live to the ripe old age of 18, but of course that’s not always the case. Goat meat is a valuable source of protein, especially among communities who don’t have the resources to own larger animals, such as cattle. Thankfully, it’s their milk and associated dairy products that are the most valuable source of food for humans. Goat’s milk is rich in essential nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin A. It’s easier to digest than cow’s milk, is naturally homogenized, and can be turned into cheese, yoghurt, and butter.
Goats have other uses for humans, including their skins, which are used to produce high quality leather for clothing, shoes, and other accessories. Some nomadic people will use goat hides as rugs or to cover temporary shelters. If you’re lucky enough to be born into the Angora or Cashmere families, you may live out a long if occasionally uncomfortable Goat life as a producer of wool for fancy humans in far-off places.
Fun fact: Most Goats have two horns, which are made of living bone surrounded by keratin. They’re generally used for defense, but also have a role in regulating body temperature. In rare instances Goats have been known to have as many as eight horns.
Concern the Goat
Concern has a long and storied history with Goats. Across four continents our colleagues have helped countless communities with their Goat husbandry needs, and it’s fair to say this is the quadruped with which we are most familiar. Indeed, there have been many, many Goats who bore the name “Concern”, in tribute to the organization that provided them.
We fondly remember the squadron of hardy imported bucks that once traveled the plains of Zambia on a mission to improve the genetic makeup of local breeds. Every morning, they would head out on the Concern truck and be let loose on the lady Goats of different rural communities, spreading their manly seed and helping make the world a better place. It’s a method that has been deployed time and again in different countries and you can read more about the Kenyan brigade of Concern Goats here.
Fun fact: Goats are very social and communicate with each other through bleating. Mothers and kids recognize each other’s calls soon after birth.
Providing Goats to families living with extreme poverty is one of the most impactful things we do. Sometimes it will be a pregnant doe, bringing the prospect of a family. Often we will ask that one of the offspring will be passed on to another family in the community, meaning it's the gift that keeps on giving. Another approach is to loan a pregnant doe to a family, who then return it once the kids have been born and weaned. There are many ways to spread the Goat love, and we've done them all.
That being said, it’s never simply a case of doling out Goats like snuff at a wake and riding off into the sunset. Many families might not be familiar with advanced husbandry techniques, or with rearing Goats at all. We will always work to provide training, information, and resources, often through local authorities or partner organizations. This generally includes help and advice on building secure, raised structures in which our Goat friends can securely spend their nights, safe from prowling predators.
The impact on people's lives is plain to see, just by talking to them. Marie-Claire Ayinkamiye in Rwanda told us "When the goats have kids, I will keep some and sell the rest. Then I will be able to afford a sewing machine." It may not sound like much, but that can be a life changing investment. Ndafeladzina Petulo in Malawi says the two Goats provided to her by Concern have produced four kids, which she plans to sell for enough money to buy a cow. In Somaliland, the Goat population was devastated recently by a four-year drought and Abdi Jama lost 75% of his herd. But with support from Concern his community have built a new water system, which he hopes will keep his precious herd alive through the next drought.
Fun fact: Goats have rectangular pupils, which give them a wide field of vision, almost 320 degrees. This helps them detect predators.
A precious gift
Of course, Goats are not invincible, and they can also fall ill or get injured. Encephalitis, mastitis, pneumonia, lymphadenitis, and other bacterial infections or parasitic infestations can cause serious problems. There’s even something called enterotoxemia, also known as “overeating disease, which can be fatal. Concern teams who work with rural and livestock-focused communities often support activities designed to improve the health and wellbeing of Goats. Mass vaccinations can be very effective at controlling disease and we do a lot of those.
So, in summary, Goats don’t ask for much but they have a lot to give, especially in places where resources are tight. Give them a scrummy feed of thorny branches and a good drink of water and they’ll be as happy as a clam with two tails. Tens of millions of families in some of the most economically and environmentally challenged locations on Earth rely on Goats as a staple source of nutrition. They are a smart, sure-footed marvel of evolution and, in our humble opinion, fully deserving of the accolade Greatest Of All Time. All hail the GOAT.
Bonus fun fact: Goats hate rain and will go to great lengths to find shelter from wet weather.
*As a mark of respect to its impact on human development, we have capitalized the word Goat. The header image on this article was artificially generated from an original photo using Abode Firefly
