1. The study of goat behavior,
like so many aspects of the recorded knowledge of
the genus Capra, is sketchy at best. Many inferences
to the behavioral patterns of goats have been drawn
from the more abundant and detailed information available
on the closely related genera of sheep, deer and antelopes.
While many behavioral characteristics of these genera
are indeed similiar, it is important to realize that
several basic behavioral differences occur. It is
these unique aspects of goat behavior that must be
understood by the goatsman so that his management
system is not at odds with the natural ways of the
herd. An understanding of the caprine way is sure
to present a twofold benefit to the goatsman. First,
it will enable him to provide a more thorough and
efficient management system, thereby deriving an economic
benefit. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, a
greater knowledge of goat behavior will help cultivate
an enhanced appreciation and enjoyment for the species.
2. Nine basic behavioral systems
are generally recognized but the two most interesting
in regards to goats are their ingestive and allelomimetic
behavior. Sexual, agonistic, epimeletic (care-giving)
and etepimeletic (care-seeking) behavior, while also
important, are predominantly of a seasonal nature.
A real significance to the specific eliminative behavior
of the goat has not been described sufficiently.
3. Basic Behavior Systems: Ingestive
Behavior. Grazing -- Goats are differentiated from
most other domestic ruminants by the fact they are
browsers as opposed to being grazers. Under natural
conditions, goats are not the great destroyers of
vegetation that they are often indicated to be, as
they will range over a large area, grazing and browsing
selectively. Under confined conditions however, goats
will become heavy browsers of trees and shrubs, and
less discriminating in their grazing habits, due to
the reduced supply of available herbage.
4. Goats exhibit a definite preference
for a varied diet, often consuming no less than 25
different plant species. This penchant for variety
serves the goat well, for many of the ''weed'' species
that are so eagerly consumed by goats have a higher
mineral and protein content than grasses, owing to
the greater root depth of the weeds. This grazing
behavior can also work as a bonus for the livestock
manager, as goats can graze quite productively on
land that has been grazed over by cattle and other
livestock, thus providing the manager with extra income
from inter-species grazing of an otherwise ''depleted''
field. It also may help to explain why goats are less
likely to bloat than almost any other ruminant. They
will not overgraze succulent legumes. They do provide
roughage for normal rumen activity through browsing
of pasture grasses and brushes.
5. In an unconfined grazing system,
goats will almost uniformly reject any plants contaminated
with the scent of their own species' urine or feces.
From an evolutionary standpoint, this is significant
in that it limits parasite infestation. However, in
confined, highly contaminated areas goats may be forced
to consume such plant material with the obvious bad
consequences.
6. Grazing intake is related to the
metabolic rate and body size of the goat, varying
with the breed and age of the animal. The species
and stage of growth of the plants being eaten also
have an effect on the amount of herbage intake. Feed
intake of goats fluctuates in accordance with environmental
temperature, and appetite is subject to a thermoregulatory
brain control. The amount of time spent eating and
the rate of mastication both tend to increase as the
temperature goes down. However, once the surrounding
temperature drops below 10C (50F), eating activity
decreases again. There is a correlation between lower
temperatures and reduced water intake, and restriction
in the amount of water consumed will cause reduction
in dry matter consumption. The digestibility of dry
matter may actually be increased especially the digestibility
of the crude fiber portion of feeds.
7. Goats are known to be able to
distinguish between bitter, salt, sweet and sour tastes.
The fact that they have a higher tolerance for bitter
tasting feeds than most other ruminants can be attributed
to the browsing propensity for bark, leaves, shoots,
shrubs and branches which may have a more bitter taste
than grasses, forbs and general pasture. Goats also
have a well developed ability to discriminate sweets.
Although proper amounts of salt are very important,
amounts of more than 5 gm/100 cc are generally refused.
8. Goats tend to spend more time
eating each day than other ruminants, often eating
for as long as 11 hours. This may be misleading though,
for they spend more time and distance moving from
one plant to another than sheep or cattle.
9. The length and regularity of rumination
is inversely related to the alert state of the goat,
with long regular periods of rumination occurring
during a semi-somnolent state. If subjected to random
noises, rumination may become irregular. Fully aroused
goats will generally not ruminate.
10. Water Intake -- Goats are well
adapted to limited water intake and short term shortages,
as their water turnover rate is only 188 cc/kg/24
hrs. This compares to a rate of 185 cc/kg/24 hrs for
the camel, an animal that is known for its ability
to go without water for long periods of time. Rates
in comparison for sheep and cattle are 197 cc/kg/24
hrs and 347 cc/kg/24 hrs, respectively.
11. During some seasons when sweating
or respiratory cooling is not necessary for the maintenance
of body temperature, goats can often sustain an adequate
intake of water from their grazed feeds alone, if
it has a moisture content of 600r more.
12. During environmental temperatures
of about 38C (100.4 F), the panting rate (respiratory
cooling) of goats is only about half that of sheep.
Their sweating is limited, and the loss of water through
feces and urine is much reduced. Reduced water intake
over a period of several days will result in a corresponding
decrease in the excretion of urine, with the concentration
of urea being increased.
13. Water intake will be much greater
for lactating goats, since milk is approximately 85water.
The greater the production of the goat, the more water
will be required. A goat producing 8 lbs of milk per
day will require more than an equal amount of water
merely for milk production.
14. Suckling Kids -- Within a short
time after birth, the kid will begin a tentative search
of the doe's body, trying to suck at numerous locations
along the doe that can be grasped in the kid's mouth.
Often, nursing will be attempted between the doe's
front legs. Eventually, the nipples are found and
true nursing begins. After the first day or two, a
normal kid will have no difficulty in promptly locating
a teat when hungry. While nursing, the kid may often
be observed to ''butt'' at the doe's udder, which
serves to facilitate milk letdown, thus increasing
the amount of milk available to the kid. The sucking
reflex of the kids enables them to be easily transferred
to a ''lambar'' or bottle, allowing the doe to return
to the milking herd soon after the kids have received
an adequate intake of colostrum.
15. Eliminative Behavior. There appears
to have been little evolutionary importance in the
development of specific eliminative behavior among
goats. There is no evidence, of any form of territorial
marking by urination or defecation, as is common to
many other animals. However, bucks can determine if
a doe is in estrus by sniffing her urine. Elimination
occurs at random in the field, with goats avoiding
areas of defecation or urination while grazing. This
avoidance behavior is depressed in confinement management
and widespread contamination occurs.
16. When urinating, the doe goes
into a squat position similar to the one assumed by
a female dog. Even buck kids will arch their back
and bend their legs while urinating. This behavior
is not displayed in adult bucks. All goats wag their
tails back and forth while defecating, although the
significance of this act, if any, is not known.
17. Sexual Behavior. Sexual behavior
among most goats at least those derived from the temperate
zones is seasonally dependent, with the females lacking
an estrus period during the late spring and summer
months. The libido, or sex drive, of the buck is also
at a low ebb during this time, but semen volume is
lowest already in early spring and motility is poorest
in the winter. The volume and motility of semen is
greatest during the late summer and fall. The return
to normal sexual behavior is first achieved by the
buck, generally about 2 weeks before does return to
estrus. It is thought that the courting of the buck
may accelerate the onset of the breeding season. The
length of the breeding season is influenced by such
factors as day length, temperature, and geographic
origin. Those breeds that originate from high, mountainous
areas have an abbreviated breeding season. All goats
have a peak estrus cycle in the fall of the year,
thus allowing for most kids to be born during the
favorable spring time.
18. The doe is usually on a 21-day
cycle during the breeding seasons. This cycle is somewhat
variable among individuals, as is the duration of
estrus, or standing heat. This period generally lasts
18 to 24 hrs, although it may even last considerably
longer. At the beginning and end of each breeding
season, the doe may go through a ''silent'' estrus
in which ovulation is not accompanied by normal estrus
behavior. In other species, this has been attributed
to a lack of circulating levels of estrogens at the
time of estrus.
19. The ''goat odor'' of bucks is
of significance in sexual behavior in that it serves
as a stimulus to the doe. Through conditioning and
previous sexual experience, the odor elicits a series
of responses in the female that serve to facilitate
the courting and breeding process. The doe will rub
her neck and body against the buck, and will stand
to receive his attentions.
20. Behavioral patterns of the buck
are more unique and complex among the two sexes during
the breeding season. He becomes aggressive as he struggles
to attain and maintain the position of lead (alpha)
buck. He is more active and verbal during the breeding
season, constantly on the lookout for does in estrus
and invading bucks. He will often be sniffing the
urine of does, extend the head and neck into the air
with the upper lip curled up (the ''Flehmen'' posture),
searching for the olfactory and gustatory stimuli
that indicate to him that the doe is in estrus.
21. Upon identifying a doe in estrus,
the buck will follow her, and then move up in an attempt
to herd the doe away from the rest of the flock. Once
separated the buck will begin to paw the ground around
the doe in an apparent display of masculinity. During
these and subsequent stages of precopulatory behavior,
the buck emits a frequent hoarse, ''baaing'' that
is often termed a ''grumble''. The buck can also be
observed to run his tongue in and out of his mouth
during these first two stages and is generally very
excited. Next he proceeds to sniff and nuzzle the
genital areas of the doe, while intermittently rubbing
against the side of the doe.
22. Copulation is achieved by the
buck mounting and gaining intromission through repeated
thrusting movements of the hind quarters. If the doe
is fully receptive and experienced, she will stand
completely still to receive the male. If she is not
fully receptive or lacks previous sexual experience,
she may move about or even begin to walk away, thus
making if more difficult for the buck to gain intromision.
This creates a greater expenditure of both time and
energy on the buck's part, and if many does behave
in this fashion, it may cause problems in getting
the flock covered by the buck.
23. Epimeletic Behavior (care-giving
maternal). The doe will separate from the rest of
the flock when kidding time approaches. After the
kid is born, she will lick the youngster clean of
any afterbirth and may even eat the afterbirth. The
licking of the kid has a general stimulatory effect
on it, and if necessary may be done also by the manager
in the form of a brisk rubbing with a clean dry cloth
or wad of straw. The doe may give a parturient call,
consisting of a short, low pitched bleating either
to her young or in response to the call of any kid.
If a strange kid should approach her, however, she
will rebuke it.
24. Constant contact between the
doe and the kid, with much sniffing and licking on
the doe's part, is necessary for the formation of
an early close bond and imprinting. If a kid is removed
at birth from its mother and returned before 2 hours
have elapsed, the doe will accept the kid; later,
it may be rejected; certainly after 3 hours. Acceptance
of a kid can be achieved through forced exposure if
the doe is restrained, tranquilized or fooled by washing
the kid with the doe's scent. This procedure is difficult
and time consuming, and may take as long as 10 days
before acceptance is complete. In a flock situation,
subordinate does may allow any kid to nurse after
a brief bonding period of about 10 minutes. Bonding
in goats is primarily based on olfactory cues.
25. Et-epimeletic Behavior (care-seeking).
Young kids, if captured, held, or hurt will emit a
high pitched general distress call, which is capable
of conveying emotional distress. Even the most novice
goatsman has no trouble recognizing it as a distress
call.
26. Adults will also ''baa'' rather
stridently when separated from the rest of the flock.
This accounts for the fact that when several herds
are mixed, there is usually a great deal of noise
as the goats mill about, trying to locate their herd
members.
27. Agonistic Behavior (antagonistic).
Bucks engage in a form of rearing and butting in order
to establish dominance for the formation of a flock
hierarchy. While animals such as sheep approach each
other and butt head on, goats stand about 4 to 6 feet
apart, then rear up so that their body is at right
angles to their opponent, with their head turned and
facing toward the opponent. They then pivot and lunge
forward and down to the ground, coming together in
a sharp crack. This difference between sheep and goat
behavior enables the two to be kept together with
little conflict between them.
28. The establishment of a social
hierarchy among the bucks results in the selection
of the dominant (alpha) buck, who is responsible for
flock safety and the breeding of the does. The other
bucks in the flock, because they do not breed, are
peripheral males or ''social castrates''. If the buck
is not fertile or of low fertility, then the flock
kidding rate will be low, even though several fertile
bucks may be available.
29. The dominant buck is aggresive
during the breeding season, but during the rest of
the year he is content even to be pushed around by
the leading female (queen). This queen is the true
leader of the flock, and usually achieves her rank
by virtue of having the most descendants. The dominance
of the mother over her young is maintained throughout
life.
30. It appears that dominance may
be established by such factors as relative age, play
fighting and whether or not the goat is horned. A
horned female may be dominant over a hornless male.
31. The development of dominance
is enhanced by crowding and the use of small feeding
areas, as the increased competition for the same food
and space exerts an organizational pressure. Once
a dominance order is established however, it may remain
stable for several years even though the organization
of the flock itself changes as individuals are born,
die or mature. Newcomers to the herd have to find
their own level and establish themselves in the flock
order, with the result of increased fighting for a
short period of time. Any fighting is always on a
one to one basis; there is never a gang attack on
a goat, although one after another may fight against
the same goat.
32. When alarmed, goats will stomp
one forefoot and produce a high pitched, sneezing
sound. Goat flocks exhibit a tendency to move about
a short distance away, forming a thin line in front
of the disturbance. If pursued further, they will
tend to break up from the group. This prevents them
from being herded like sheep, which tend to bunch
together while being pursued. This is one reason shy
dogs have never worked well in goat herding attempts.
33. Young kids, instead of following
their mother while she grazes, remain in one spot,
''freezing'' at the sign of any danger. By freezing,
a predator (if that is the danger), may pass the kid
without locating it.
34. Adult goats are also occasionally
known to go into a catatonic state when scared or
threatened. This response, which is similar to the
opossum, was first recorded by Ivan Petrovich Pavlov,
the Russian scientist who pioneered the classical
conditioning experiments with dogs. He felt that goat
response was related to some inhibition of the goat's
normal self-protective impulse to run.
35. This unique response was studied
again in 1961 at Cornell and Duke Universities, and
the Institute of Muscle Research at the Marine Biology
Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. It was noticed
that the catatonic sym ++++MISSING DATA++++
36. Shelter Seeking Behavior. Goats
are generally quite hardy animals, being able to weather
the heat and the cold comparatively well, so long
as they are provided with a well constructed shed.
If there's one thing a goat doesn't like, it's rain.
Goats will run to the nearest available shelter on
the approach of a storm, often arriving before the
first drops of rain have fallen. They also have an
intense dislike for water puddles and mud. Probably
through evolution they have been more free of parasites
if they have avoided wet spots. Goat management should
copy this.
37. While hot weather poses no great
problem to most goats, high level of humidity does
cause them stress. This will lower milk production,
cause loss of body weight and even may increase hostility
within a flock.
38. An interesting adaptation of
shelter seeking behavior occurs among goats that are
living in hot, dry and treeless areas. They have been
observed to congregate and huddle during the midday
heat, when it seems preferable to be apart from one
another. This crowding occurs when the rate of heat
taken in by the goat's body is in excess of its ability
to dissipate heat. By crowding, the goats manage to
reduce the intake of direct and reflected solar energy.
The lack of suitable covers or shade during the midday
sun (when cast shadows are at a minimum), has resulted
in ++++MISSING DATA++++
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