Goats are widely loved for their playful personalities and cute appearance.  While most people have seen a goat at some point in their life, they are likely completely unaware of many fascinating goat facts.  

   For example, goats don’t have top front teeth!  Instead of top teeth in the front, they have a hard plate that like other ruminant animals, they use to grind food against. 

   This leads to the next fact, which is rather gross in the opinion of people.  Goats are ruminant animals, which means their stomachs are divided into four parts.  With this type of digestive system, goats will regurgitate their food to chew again before finally digesting it.  When they do this, it is called chewing their cud.  

   Contrary to popular belief, female goats grow horns like males.  Almost all goats born will grow horns, but it’s actually the work of people that is the reason for many goats not having them.  Disbudding is a common procedure done by many goat owners that damage the horn buds on baby goats so that they will not grow as they age.  This is done for both the safety of people, as well as the goats.

   Unlike people, it is rare for a goat to be pregnant with just one kid.  Goats usually deliver between two and four kids, but on very rare occasions goats have delivered six and even seven kids out of just one pregnancy!  Just imagine that.

For more Goat information, read “Goats are more intelligent than they appear” by Hayden Richardson