Usually, when you hear about goats, one of the first things you think about is funny situations, jokes, etc. The very term “goat” already leads us to think of comic circumstances. “Plague goat”, “disease goat”, “male goat”, etc. they always invoke games in other regions of the country than the Northeast.
There, in the Northeast, the term can be considered a compliment: strong, brave, fearless man. This is because the milk of the female is considered to be more nutritious than that of the cow. Or else a curse: shameless, thief, etc. And this is because the animal is “the Devil’s friend”, according to popular belief in some areas of the Northeast.
As a matter of fact, the use of the word “goat” to refer to man took place at the time of colonization. The natives of the Northeast used to chew on a plant, the betel. In other words, they seemed to be always chewing the cud, like goats. The Portuguese at the time, with all their arrogance and empathy and wanting to humiliate the natives, started to call them goats.
Already “plague” and “disease” are associated with terrible diseases. Northeastern people are used to calling the dangerous diseases that afflict the region a plague or a disease. In this case, by using “plague goat” as an offense, it is reinforced with connection to bad diseases.
Where do we find the goat?
The goat is an animal that can survive in any region, including adverse ones.
The goat is an animal that can survive in any region, including adverse ones.
You almost certainly think she is only in Brazil. However, the species is spread over half the globe, especially the domestic species.
All it takes is a good open field, albeit rocky, with enough grass and there they are. In fact, there are huge communities that consume more goat’s milk than any other animal’s milk. In fact, her milk is the third most consumed dairy product in the world, only behind cow and buffalo milk.
On the other hand, its meat is offered in restaurants all over the world. Some of them produce so-called sophisticated, exotic dishes that please the most demanding palates.
So, do you know what the grammatical genders of goat are? Would it be “goat and female goat”? Or “goat and goat”? And what is the difference in goat and goat?
Historical-biological aspects of the goat
The goat was one of the first animals to be domesticated.
The importance of this animal for humanity is because it was one of the first to be domesticated. In this way, it is an animal that is currently very much sought after by farmers and beginning besiegers who intend to commercialize their creation.
The goat has lived with humans in a collaborative relationship for over 9,000 years. There are studies that indicate Capra sivalencis and Capra perimensis are the two ancestral biological arms. However, these are only known from fossils, as, of course, they are already extinct.
And yet, other studies show the living ancestors of most of the races known today. Thus, it is known that they came from Capra aegagrus, which, incidentally, is from the Persian and Asian regions, and Capra falconezi, which is from Kashmir and Egypt.
Physical structural aspects of the goat
Her appearance is fragile. The size is that of a weak, weak, delicate animal. Even the movements don’t show any strength. However, make no mistake. The goat is a true “pest goat” because it is so strong. It lives well in different biomes around the world. Therefore, it does not get sick easily. Therefore, handling and coexistence are relatively inexpensive.
The biological family of the goat is Bovidae (antelope cattle, sheep etc.). They are herbivorous mammals (they only eat plants) with strong muscles. This strength comes from ancestors who inhabited mountainous regions. They have horns and split legs (it is, therefore, ungulate).
The domestic species is called Capra hircus and they are found in farms, fields and even deserts; the wild species is called Oreamnos americanus and is present in rocky areas of the USA, more precisely in the northwest of the country.
Mountain species weigh between 60 and 80 kg and up to a little more than 1.70 m in length. They can jump over 5m away. The horns are really sharp and can reach 30cm.
Interesting: speaking of horns, they are not lost during the entire life of the animal. Thus, it is possible to know the age of the goat or goat from the rings that form along the horn.
As for domestics, there are more or less 200 variations. So it is wide range of size and weight. The smallest – of the Nigerian dwarf breed – do not exceed 10kg; the biggest ones can weigh up to 115kg.
Food
Because the lower jaw is smaller than the upper one and picks up food with the lips, the chewing movement looks like circular movements. It even becomes funny to see her chewing.
Being from the bovine family, they are ruminant and have four stomach compartments (rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum). Therefore, it takes 11 to 15 hours tothat food passes through your entire digestive system.
reproduction
Pregnancy is almost always in the spring for 6 months. The female gives birth to up to 2 offspring. Less than an hour after birth, the puppies are able to walk. Less than 4 months later, they wean and become more independent from their mother. At 2 and a half years old, they are able to have their own puppies.
Domesticated species reach up to 12 years of life. Mountain girls live a little less because of the natural dangers they face.
Main breeds of goat
Above you saw there are over 200 breeds of the domestic species. Here are the most important both economically and socially:
Myotonic or Tennessee – It is a breed of medium size, white, black or striped coat. According to a survey, the entire population of this breed in the United States came from only 4 “forgotten” individuals in Tennessee at the beginning of the century. A peculiarity of this breed is the fact that it carries a neuromuscular disorder called Hereditary Myotonia. Thus, when they face a state of extreme stress, their muscles harden and the individual is inert as a statue for a few seconds.
Boer – The name comes from the German word for “meat”. Apparently, it comes from indigenous African goats that seem to have intermingled with Indian races. This breed is part of studies by the National Performance Testing Scheme for Beef Sheep and Goats in South Africa.
Kiko – This is a breed resulting from effective selection for meat and milk production. It is highly qualified in the world market
Anglo Nubiana – It is a special breed for milk and meat production, as the size is really large. Originally from England, born from a mixture of European, Indian and African races
Pygmy – As its name implies, it is a small breed. It came from the West African regions. Its individuals do not exceed 25kg
behavioral aspects
The goat is a tame animal that lives in herds.
They live in herds, which means they are sociable, gentle and friendly. There are around 20 individuals in the group, which is dominated by one female – the goat itself. However, during the mating season, the male – that is, the goat – takes the reins of the herd.
She usually spends the day grazing within her territory, though she’s not very territorial. She rests at night, meaning she has daytime habits.
However, they always need company. And of the same species. In other words, it is almost impossible to keep a goat as a pet. When solitary for a long time, the female becomes very noisy. The male will make so much noise in your yard or farm that you will want to sell him quickly.
So, if you’re thinking about raising a goat, consider getting a few individuals and never just one. Also, be aware that they are not very fond of wet weather. And they aren’t affectionate about water either, that is, they hate getting wet.
Goat-related economic aspects
The goat has great economic value and many uses.
As we saw above, the goat was domesticated for millennia. Thus, it is known that it was the first animal specifically used for food consumption. Before that, the animals were slaughtered in a hunting scheme and not kept in captivity for future consumption.
It arrived in the country from the Portuguese, Dutch and French during colonization. However, the importation of heads had officially started in the early 1900s.
All Brazilians have already heard about the importance of goats and goats for the Northeast region. At some point, read it in a text or saw it in a documentary. However, it is natural and logical to argue that only the northeastern person himself knows exactly the importance of this animal. Certainly this is because they physically and daily live this importance.
In the Northeast
As a complement, it is in the Northeast that there is the greatest concentration of goats. There are 90% of all goat heads in the country. The region raises goats for the purpose of feeding the population – especially informal breeding – and skin extraction. Goat leather supports several activities.
According to a more or less recent survey by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation – Embrapa, Brazil has almost 13 million heads of goats. This puts the country in position 9 in the ranking of world breeders. However, in relation to milk production, the country produces and consumes only 1% of what is produced in the world.
This contradiction is an indication that the animal is still not adequately explored by Brazilians. It also means a large and unoccupied market.
Raising goats is relatively easy
Keeping goats has the added advantage of being docile animals and taking up considerably less space than other slaughter animals. In addition to meat, low in fat; milk and its derivatives (cheese, ice cream, etc.), byand, fur and manure are also commercially targeted.
Social Aspects of the Goat
In developing countries, it is practically impossible to separate economic aspects from social aspects associated with a particular issue. Thus, it is possible to state that the goat is highly important in the economic arm and equally important in the social arm. See why.
Rural areas of Brazil, in general, have small herds of goats. As a rule, it serves as a source of milk for the owning family and of manure for their plantation. After all, the animal’s rustic conditions and ability to adapt to different environments do not require special care.
In other words, such characteristics are ideal for maintaining family subsistence. Thus, the goat reduces the need for external economic resources, which increases the social feeling of the family it has.
Cultural aspects of the goat
The goat is part of many folk and cultural myths and legends.
The importance of the goat is not limited to economic, social or survival issues in the regions where it lives. There are also cultural aspects that make this animal the center of attention.
Chupacabra Legend
If, when talking about goats, we already think funny things, when we talk about legends, we think about old stories. Old, that is, more than many decades old. Or centuries.
The goat is so surreal that it spawned a legend a few years ago. And that only happens to important characters, is it or isn’t it? The legend tells of a bipedal demonic being, with short stature, arched body covered in scale, two huge eyes. Numerous reports said that it resembled a goat that walked on its hind legs.
This being is said to have been sucking the blood of many animals in the 1990s. That is, for less than 30 years. The bodies of the animals were found to be virtually bloodless and with bites on the neck. The association with vampires and bats was automatic. Some of those reports even called the animal a “bat-goat” or “vampire goat”.
The legend almost gained world status. Well, at least it quickly spread throughout Latin America. And it spread especially in Puerto Rico, where, incidentally, it began and where the first dead animals appeared. The story reached all the media at the time (spoken, written, television), also on the internet, which was in its initial phase in the country.
And science entered the case
However, science has already unraveled this legend. And without much effort. These were, in fact, common animals: dogs, coyotes, wolves that sought isolation in the woods because they carried mange. That’s right: the Chupacabra was just mangy animals.
In addition, it is known that it is common for animals of the canine species to attack their victims directly in the neck. Hence the marks in this region on the bodies of dead animals.
And why were they mistaken for monsters? Scabies causes the animal’s hair to fall out and dries the skin. In other words, the appearance is really horrible. Seeing a monster, well, that was a product of the collective imagination, as is always the case in these cases.
And why the name Chupacabra? Because the first bodies found were goats in Puerto Rico.
The Goat Cabriola
The Cabra Cabriola legend started at the end of the 19th century in the Northeast of the country – well, it had to be there because, as we said, this is where the overwhelming majority of goat heads in the country are located. Several people said that they had seen a being that looked like a goat but was half animal and half human. They claimed they had seen fire come out of the eyes and nose, as well as the mouth.
They called him Cabra Cabriola. She always attacked on Fridays (blessed Fridays) whoever dared to walk the streets of a certain community in Pernambuco. In fact, that’s where the legend was born. She also broke into homes looking for ill-bred and whining children.
(Well… we can certainly see here that the legend of the Cabra Cabriola was the creation of a mother without much patience with her children.)
So this is about goat
Well, we left two questions at the beginning of this article. One of them has already been answered throughout it: goat is the female animal; goat is the male animal. But what about goat? What kind of animal is this? Well, a goat is nothing more than simply a goat or goat at the beginning of its life, that is, the calf.
