Yet, animal agriculture treats these sentient individuals as products, slaughtering 1.4 million goats globally every day.
When we take the time to get to know goats, it becomes hard to see how anyone could harm them.
Eight Things You Didn’t Know About Goats
Freddy
Eight Things You Didn’t Know About Goats
Freddy
Goats are smart, inquisitive, and playful. Among our rescued animal residents at Farm Sanctuary, the goats are known as some of the friendliest greeters on our tours.
Nemo & Sebastian
Here are facts you probably didn’t know about goats!
1. Goats respond to emotion in the sound of a human’s or goat’s voice
Like we can tell the tone of a friend’s voice, goats can understand emotional cues in the calls of other goats and react to changing emotions heard in human voices, too.
Jake & Hope
2. Goats learn socially from each other—and from humans
Goats are among the species that exhibit culture—the ability to pass knowledge to each other and across generations. They learn social behaviors from their herd and humans.
3. Goats may communicate using their gaze
A goat experiencing a problem could literally look to you for help, using their gaze to express themselves. This trait has also been found in dogs and horses!
Jennifer
4. Goats prefer happy human faces
We like happiness for others, right? Goats do, too! They distinguish between happy and angry expressions on the same person’s face and show a preference for happier ones.
Olive, Emily, & Maggie
5. Wild goats can be found at elevations over 10,000 feet
Some species of goats live high in the mountains of places like northwestern North America and can even climb nearly straight up on steep cliffs.
6. Goats will ask for affection
As visitors and staff find out at Farm Sanctuary, goats may nudge you when they want to be cuddled or petted.
Belle & Maggie
7. Over 600,000 young goats are killed for meat in the U.S. yearly
A far cry from the freedom of mountains or sanctuary, farmed goats are often raised on crowded feedlots, where they’re fed unnatural diets to reach slaughter weight quickly.
8. Goats raised for meat are slaughtered as young as 3 months old
Goats can live for around 12-18 years, but in animal agriculture, these sentient animals are slaughtered at just 3-5 months old.
Lulu
9. Like cows, goats are used and suffer for dairy production
Like cows, goats are exploited on dairy farms, where they are repeatedly impregnated and their babies are taken from them so their milk can be sold.
Life doesn’t have to be that way. Goats and all farmed animals deserve to live safe from harm.
Goats Need Enrichment
Here’s another fact: On factory farms, goats and other animals not only suffer cruelty but also live in barren environments that deny their natural behaviors. At Farm Sanctuary, we know enrichment is essential for their well-being, and we prioritize enrichment that allows each species and individual we care for to live the best and most natural lives possible.
Sanctuary Animal Welfare Coordinator Kayla Perry recently installed detailed activity boards in the goat barn at our New York site. Some quickly needed repair due to daily enjoyment!
“Goats are very curious and enjoy having a lot of options in their space for tactile engagement,” says Kayla. “Providing them with safe ways to explore their surroundings can improve their cognitive experience while decreasing any potential damage they may do to their enclosure or themselves.”
Support our rescued goats and all Farm Sanctuary residents as we provide daily care and enrichment. There are many different ways to give to our mission.
