FACTS OF INTEREST:

• The wild goat of southwestern Asia, known as the bezoar, is the ancestor of the domesticated goat. Goats first lived with people 10,000 years ago.


• Goats do well on the poorest land, so are very useful for their milk and meat in areas unsuitable for grazing cows.


• There are several breeds of dairy goat. Nubian goats produce milk rich in butterfat that is very good for making cheese.


• Domestic goats turned wild can be very destructive to the land. They kill vegetation by overgrazing, allowing topsoil to wash away when it rains. When their grazing is controlled, on the other hand, they can provide an inexpensive means of thinning accumulations of brush that pose a fire hazard.