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Information
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.
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