Interesting Facts About Goats for Kids

Goats are cute and cuddly animals, loved by children and adults alike. Although not as popular as a pet, like dogs and cats, goats are domesticated and are amazing animals that have been loved by people for a long time! They are known for being playful and curious, making them fun to watch. And there’s more to these herbivorous animals. From their incredible ability to climb steep mountains to making different sounds to communicate, goats are full of surprises. If your children love goats and you want to enhance their knowledge of goats, we’ve covered some interesting goat facts for kids in this article. Read on and share them with your kids!

Amazing Goat Facts for Kids

Goats are fascinating animals that kids love to learn about! They have unique habits and skills that make them special. Here are some interesting facts about goats for kids:

• There are many different types of goats all over the world. There are over 210 species of goats.
• China has the most number of goats in the world. They are around 170 million goats in China.
• Goats don’t have teeth in the front of their upper jaw, however, they have around 24 molars. Their diet consists of browse, clover, and grass.
• The average life span of a goat is 12 years, but there have been some cases of goats living to be 15.
• Goats are known for being quite agile. They are capable of jumping over five feet.
• When it is raining, goats tend to try to find shelter as they dislike getting wet.
• Goats are picky eaters when compared to sheep, cows, and pigs. They are clean animals and tend to avoid eating anything bad (1).
• Male goats aren’t the only ones who have beards. The females have them too!
• It is said that some goat herders noticed that their herd of goats had plenty of energy after consuming coffee beans. When they tried it, it had almost the same effect. Many believe this is how coffee first started being consumed.
• Cashmere is a favoured material used to make clothing. It is expensive and stylish and is made from goat hair. The downy undercoat that some goats produce during the winter is used when making this fancy material. The silky material is separated by hand from the outer coat. It takes the coats of at least two goats to make just one sweater.
• Goats have a four-chambered stomach. This helps to digest some tough textured food, such as hay and grass. The food first enters into the ‘rumen’ after which it goes to the ‘reticulum’ where the digestible food is separated from the non-digestible. In the next chamber called the ‘omasum’ and it is where the water is removed from the food. Finally, the food enters the ‘abomasum’ chamber where proper digestion starts (3).
• There is a species of goat called the ‘Myotonic Goat’, which are more commonly known as the fainting goats. They do not actually faint, but it appears that they do because they have a genetic quirk. This causes them to topple over every time they become startled or excited. When they do this, it seems like they have fainted, which is why they are often known as ‘fainting goats’.
• Goats from different places have different ways of bleating, making it seem as though they have different accents.
• Goats have rectangular pupils, which give them a wide field of vision to spot predators.

Facts About Domestic Goats for Kids

Domestic goats are friendly, curious, and have been living alongside humans for thousands of years. Here’s some interesting information on domestic goats that you can share with your kids:

• Goats were the first animals said to have been domesticated by man (2).
• Goats were the first animals to be used by humans for milk. Goats milk is said to be far healthier than cow’s milk. It is easy to digest for most people and it is also packed with more nutrients. The levels of vitamin A, calcium, and niacin is higher in goat milk than in cow’s milk.
• For goats, the act of birthing is called ‘kidding’. A female goat can give birth to up to six babies in one litter. Baby goats are called ‘kids’.
• A female goat is known as a ‘nanny’ or a ‘doe’, and a male is known as ‘billy’ or a ‘buck’.
• If a kid is born healthy, it has the ability to stand just a few minutes after it is born. The young goat can move around with the herd soon after.

Facts About Mountain Goats for Kids

Mountain goats are fascinating creatures that live in some of the highest and most rugged areas. Here are some facts about mountain goats for kids:

• The pupils of the goats are rectangular. Sheep and a few other ungulates have the same pupil shape. This shape enables them to have a better visual range than those with circular-shaped pupils. Their pupils allow them to have an almost 360-degree line of vision. The only place they cannot see is behind their heads. This vast range of vision enables them to avoid predators. The negative aspect about rectangular pupils is that those who have them cannot see what is above or below them without moving their heads.
• Mountain goats are covered in creamy fur, often white in colour. This is because the high altitudes are often cooler and the thick fur helps keep them warm.
• When the weather is warm, the mountain goats rub their bodies against trees. This helps them to shed any extra fur.
• Male and female mountain goats have horns. The overall size of the female is smaller than that of the male.
• Their hooves are well adapted to living on cliffs. They are hard and straight on the outside, while the inside is flexible and soft. This enables them to have a good grip on the rocky mountain terrain.
• As grass is not easily available during winter upon the mountains, mountain goats change their diets to eating lichens, shrubs, mosses, conifers and available grasses.

FAQs

1. Are goats friendly pets?

Yes, goats can be very friendly and social animals! They enjoy interacting with humans and other goats. Many people keep goats as pets because they are playful and affectionate. However, like any pet, they require proper care, attention, and companionship.

2. Why do goats have beards?

Male goats, known as bucks, often have beards that add to their unique appearance. The beard helps them attract females during mating season and is also a sign of maturity. Some female goats can have small beards, too, but they are usually not as prominent.

Those were some interesting and fun facts about goats for kids. Read these to your kids and enhance their knowledge about goats. And do ask them to share this knowledge with their friends.

References/Resources:

1. 10 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT GOATS; FOUR PAWS International; https://www.four-paws.org/campaigns-topics/topics/farm-animals/10-amazing-facts-about-goats

2. Goat; Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute; https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/goat

Also Read:

Dog Facts for Kids
Lion Facts & Information for Children
Cheetah Information and Facts for Kids
Kangaroos Facts & Information for Children

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