A female goat is called a doe or a nanny. A male goat is called a buck or a billy. A baby goat is called a kid.
Goats like company and prefer to be in a herd. In the wild, females herd together with young. Males may fight by butting heads when competing for females. Goat are very curious animals and will sometimes get themselves into trouble exploring things that catch their attention.
Goats come in a wide range of colors and patterns. They have long, pointed ears that hang down. Their coat is thick and tough, but not wooly like a sheep. They have long skinny legs and a short tail.
Goats are herbivores, eating only plant matter. They are also ruminants. This means that they can eat dry grasses and digest it with the help of tiny microorganisms (bacteria and protozoa) in their stomach. This helps break down the dry parts of the grass (cellulose). Then the goat spits up or "regurgitates" the food back up and chews it again. This is called chewing their "cud" and further helps to break down the tough grass.
We get milk, meat and skin from goats. Many people keep them as pets too.
Note the complete goat anatomy labeling page below (for older students) and the simple goat body labeling LINK at bottom for younger students.
