Domestic Goat Gallery 1

DOMESTIC GOAT GALLERY 1

Boer goat copy

The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the family Bovidae and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae.

Female goats are referred to as “does” or “nannies”, intact males as “bucks”, “billies”, or “rams” and their offspring are “kids”. Castrated males are “wethers”. Goat meat from younger animals is called “kid” or cabrito (Spanish), and from older animals is simply known as “goat” or sometimes called chevon (French), or in some areas “mutton” (which more often refers to adult sheep meat).

Angora goat

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quebec_angora_goat.jpg# The first Angora goats were brought to Europe by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, about 1554, but, like later imports, were not very successful. Angora goats were first introduced in the United States in 1849 by Dr. James P. Davis. Seven adult goats were a gift from Sultan Abdülmecid I in appreciation for his services and advice on the raising of cotton. More goats were imported over time, until the Civil War destroyed most of the large flocks in the south. Eventually, Angora goats began to thrive in the southwest, particularly in Texas, wherever there are sufficient grasses and shrubs to sustain them. Texas to this day remains the largest mohair producer in the U.S., and third largest in the world.