Goats make a variety of strange sounds. From bleats and baas to high-pitched screams, each of their vocalizations has a different meaning. Wondering what those adorable goat sounds really mean? Here’s what goats are trying to communicate via their many noises.
Do Goat Sounds Have Different Meanings?
Goats are highly social creatures, so it makes sense that they’re so vocal.
©iStock.com/VeraOsco
Yes, the various noises goats make each have their own unique meaning.
“Goat vocalizations are surprisingly expressive,” says Dr. Nathan Rakestraw, a DVM Veterinarian at TelaVets.com. “Short, quiet bleats can show contentment or affection. Insistent baas often mean ‘Come here!’ or ‘Feed me!’ Sharp screams are more serious, signaling distress, pain, or alarm.”
At first, it might be difficult to tell the difference between these sounds. However, Dr. Rakestraw notes that you can develop the ability over time.
“Once you spend time around goats, you start to recognize the difference between a ‘feed me now’ yell and a true distress call,” he says. “It’s their way of keeping in touch with their herd and with you.”
Different Goat Sounds
If you work with goats, you likely have grown to recognize and interpret their many sounds.
©Sviatlana Lazarenka/ via Getty Images
Here are three of the most common goat sounds and what they typically mean, according to experts.
Bleats
Think of bleats as normal goat ‘talking.’ Typically, goats use this sound as part of their everyday communication, rather than to express pain or hunger.
“These are the ‘everyday voices’ of goats,” Rakestraw explains. “A soft bleat might be a mom calling her baby or a goat checking in with the herd.”
Baas
Rakestraw explains that baas are “usually louder and more drawn out, often signaling ‘I want something!’ like food, companionship, or freedom from a pen.”
However, goats usually use a louder, more piercing sound to communicate actual distress.
Once you spend time around goats, you start to recognize the difference between a ‘feed me now’ yell and a true distress call.
Dr. Nathan Rakestraw, a DVM Veterinarian at TelaVets.com
Screams
Like humans, goats reserve their screams for more urgent or critical situations (at least from their perspective).
“High-pitched, urgent sounds that usually mean frustration, fear, or strong protest,” Rakestraw says. “They’ll scream if they feel trapped, anxious, or sometimes just impatient when they see the food bucket coming.”
Why Do Goats Scream?
Goats will sometimes screen when they’re hungry.
©Lenar Musin/Shutterstock.com
As there are various types of goat sounds, there are also various types of goat screams—each having their own meaning, too. If you’re unsure why your goat is screaming, here are a few possible reasons to consider.
They’re In Heat
Female goats often scream when they’re in their fertile window and experiencing the desire to mate.
“One of the main reasons female goats scream is because they are in heat,” says Deborah Niemann, speaker for Thrifty Homesteader and author of Raising Goats Naturally and Goats Giving Birth. “So, they’re screaming in hopes of having a boyfriend find them.”
According to Niemann, this can last for up to 48 hours, occurring around every 21 days during autumn months.
“This is the scream that sounds like a woman screaming,” she explains. “In fact, I know multiple people who lived in more populated areas who have had the police show up at the door because they had received a call about a woman screaming.”
They Want Attention
Goats aren’t so different from humans after all. Like us, they also crave attention—and they make it known by screaming.
“Goats are natural talkers,” Rakestraw explains. “Screaming is one of the louder tools in their communication toolbox, and while it can sound dramatic to us, it’s usually their way of getting attention.”
They’re Bored
When a goat feels trapped or bored, it will often communicate by screaming. Think of it as their way of throwing a fit.
“This is why I am not a fan of goats living in a small backyard pen,” Niemann points out. “I’ve seen too many people have to get rid of their goats when they were trying to keep them in a space like that. One woman called me in a panic because she only had seven days to get rid of her goats or be fined $100 a day because her goats were violating the noise ordinance. After she brought the goats to my farm, they never made a sound because they had acres of pasture to wander around in, so they had simply been bored in their tiny pen in the city.”
They’re Hungry or Needy
When a goat has an unmet need, such as hunger or a desire for social interaction, it will often scream.
“A goat might scream if they’re hungry, separated from their herd, feeling stressed, or just demanding something from their human caretaker,” Rakestraw says. “Some goats are simply more vocal by nature, so personality plays a role too.”
