What’s a Group of Goats Called?

Goats are members of the Bovidae family of animals, which also includes cattle, antelope, buffalo, and goat-antelope. They’re ruminants who digest their food not once, but twice, using their four chambered stomachs. Today, domesticated goats serve many purposes; they provide us with milk, as well as meat and leather. But, what’s a group of goats called, really?

Here, we’ll learn more about goats as a species, including both wild and domesticated goats. We’ll find out just what to call a group of goats, as well as what groups of goats are used for around the world. Then, we’ll discover the fascinating trend of pet goats, and find out just how goats make more goats.

Read on to learn more about goats, and find out the answer to the question: what’s a group of goats called? 

The Background of Goats

Goats, while similar to sheep, are actually their own species. Today, there are over 300 kinds of domestic goat. But, every single one of these goats comes from the same wild ancestor, the gaseng. No matter their breed, all goats share a few key features. They have lean, compact bodies, straight, short hair (with a few exceptions), short tails, and backwards facing, hollow, horns. 

Wild Goats vs. Domesticated Goats

If you’re wondering what to call a group of goats, than you might be interesting to know that there is more than one kind of goat. Domestic goats are those that cannot survive without human assistance, while wild goats are more akin to deer, elk, and buffalo. 

Wild goats can be found throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia. They include the Turkmen wild goat, the Chiltan ibex, the Bezoar ibex, and the Sindh ibex. Domestic goats include pygmy goats, Boer goats, Savanna goats, Kinder goats, and many more breeds.

A Group of Goats

So, what is a group of goats called? A group of goats is known as a herd. Less common names include tribe, trip, and flock. Individual goats are also known by unique terms. A female goat is a doe—unless she’s a mother, in which case she’s known as a nanny. Unaltered, intact male goats are known as bucks or billies. Once they’ve been altered though, they’re known as wethers. Also, baby goats are known as kids. 

Fun fact: kid leather gets its name from its source: kid goats.

Goat Diet

By reputation, goats will eat just about anything. But, in reality, this isn’t quite true. Goats are herbivores, which means they stick strictly to vegetable foods. They’re classified as browsers, which basically means they’ll chew on many things, even if they don’t eat everything. In contrast, animals like sheep and cows are classified as grazers, because they tend to only nibble on food they actually plan to eat.

A healthy goat diet is made up of about 90% hay, grass, or straw. Domestic goats are frequently given supplemental foods, like fruits, vegetables, grains, and pellets. However, these foods should never make up the primary component of a goat’s diet. Goats will also eat any flowering plant, weed, shrub, or vegetable plant, so it’s best to keep them out of landscaped areas and vegetable gardens.

What do People use Goats for?

A group of goats is known as a herd, but, what do people use herds of goats for? Each breed of goat was bred for a specific purpose. Most are used for meat, milk, or leather. But, goats are also used in many parts of the world as handy weed killers, since they’ll eat just about any weed. 

Goat meat is regularly consumed in many parts of the world. In fact, hundreds of millions of goats are slaughtered for meat every year. Some breeds, however, are bred for their milk producing ability, rather than for their meat. Goat milk can be made into yogurt, ice cream, butter, and cheese, just like cow milk. Interestingly, goat milk does not require homogenization, like cow’s milk does.

Goats as Pets

In the past several decades, goats have risen to prominence not as livestock animals, but as companion animals. That’s right—it’s more common than ever to keep a goat, or several, as a pet. Pet goats are generally small breeds, like pygmy goats, that can easily be kept in back yards, or small hobby farms. Some people have even replaced their canine companions with hooved ones. Today, pygmy goats are a fast growing pet that can live up to 15 years.

Goat Reproduction

So, we’ve learned that a group of goats is known as a herd. But, just how do herds form? Well, female goats reach sexual maturity as early as one year, with males taking a little longer. Goats gestate for about 150 days, and commonly give birth to twin kids. Herds generally consist of only one male, with several females, and their kids.

Up Next

• 10 Goat Breeds: The Different Types of Goats

• Are Goats Good Pets?
• Discover The 10 Largest Goats In The World

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/aurorat