Dutch/Frisian/Icelandic/Norwegian geit, German Geiß, and Gothic gaits), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰaidos meaning "young goat" (cf.

[7] Neolithic farmers began to herd wild goats primarily for easy access to milk and meat, as well as to their dung, which was used as fuel; and their bones, hair, and sinew were used for clothing, building, and tools.

[9] The earliest remnants of domesticated goats dating 10,000 years Before Present are found in Ganj Dareh in Iran.

At the bottom of the size range are miniature breeds such as the African Pygmy, which stand 41 to 58 cm (16 to 23 in) at the shoulder as adults.

Breeding together two genetically polled goats results in a high number of intersex individuals among the offspring, which are typically sterile.

[16] Their horns are made of living bone surrounded by keratin and other proteins, and are used for defense, dominance, territoriality,[17] and thermoregulation.

[19] Goats have horizontal, slit-shaped pupils, allowing them to see well by both night and day, and giving them a wide field of vision on either side to detect predators, while avoiding being dazzled by sunlight from above.

Males of the two species differ in that buck goats acquire a unique and strong odor during the rut, whereas rams do not.

Many breeders prefer to postpone breeding until the doe has reached 70% of the adult weight, but this separation is rarely possible in extensively managed, open-range herds.

[31] Bucks (uncastrated males) of Swiss and northern breeds come into rut in the fall as with the does' heat cycles.

[32] Sebaceous scent glands at the base of the horns add to the male goat's odor, which is important to make him attractive to the female.

The mother often eats the placenta, which gives her much-needed nutrients, helps stanch her bleeding, and parallels the behavior of wild herbivores, such as deer, to reduce the lure of the birth scent for predators.

They are browsing animals, not grazers like cattle and sheep, and (coupled with their highly curious nature) will chew on and taste anything resembling plant matter to decide whether it is good to eat, including cardboard, clothing and paper.

Among the conditions affecting goats are respiratory diseases including pneumonia, foot rot, internal parasites, pregnancy toxicosis, and feed toxicity.

[46] In Nigeria and in parts of Latin America, some goats are allowed to wander the homestead or village, while others are kept penned and fed in a 'cut-and-carry' system.

This involves cutting grasses, maize or cane for feed rather than allowing the animal access to the field.

[7] Feral goats have established themselves in many areas: they occur in Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, the Galapagos and many other places.

[52][53] Some charities provide goats to impoverished people in poor countries, in the belief that having useful things alleviates poverty better than cash.

Angora crossbreeds, such as the pygora and the nigora, have been created to produce mohair and/or cashgora on a smaller, easier-to-manage animal.

[69][70] There has been a resurgence of this in North America since 1990, when herds were used to clear dry brush from California hillsides thought to be endangered by potential wildfires.

[69][73][74] Chattanooga, TN and Spartanburg, SC have used goats to control kudzu, an invasive plant species prevalent in the southeastern United States.

In the United States, goats have become the main animal species used for this purpose after the Pentagon phased out using dogs for medical training in the 1980s.

[77] Some people choose goats as a pet because of their ability to form close bonds with their human guardians.

It is used for the custom of going door-to-door singing carols and getting food and drinks in return, often fruit, cakes and sweets.

Knut's Day, January 13—involves young men dressed as goats (Finnish: Nuuttipukki) who visit houses.

Usually the dress was an inverted fur jacket, a leather or birch bark mask, and horns.

[90] The Capricorn constellation sign in the Western zodiac is usually depicted as a goat with a fish's tail.

[85] A goatee is a tuft of facial hair on a man's chin, named for its resemblance to a goat's beard.

[95] A goat is considered a "clean" animal by Jewish dietary laws and a kid was slaughtered for an honored guest.

[97] In Matthew 25:31–46, Jesus said that like a shepherd he will separate the nations, rewarding the sheep, those who have shown kindness, but punishing the goats.