The Domestication of Goats

Gary Arndt (0:00)

Thousands of years ago, humans began forming a relationship with an animal that would become one of history's most important livestock species. It could survive in harsh environments, eat vegetation that other animals avoided, and provided humans with food and valuable materials. Over thousands of years, this animal spread around the world, adapting to new environments and developing hundreds of distinct breeds. Learn more about the remarkable history of goats on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

This episode is sponsored by Quince. Autumn is here, which means it's time to start bringing out all your cold weather gear. And for me, it means taking out my Quince Mongolian cashmere sweaters and my Quince blankets. I have a thick fisherman's blanket for sitting on the couch and an organic waffle bed blanket that I use as a bed cover. My Quince products not only keep me warm, but they look really good too, and they do so at a fraction of the price of other retailers. Everything at Quince is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. They work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middlemen, so you're paying for high quality, not brand markup. Find your next fall favorites at Quince. Download the Quince app for app exclusive offers or go to quince.com. Get free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK too. And when Quince asks you where you heard about them, let them know it was Everything Everywhere Daily. It's the best way to support the show.

This episode is sponsored by Mint Mobile. If you had to choose between two identical items but one was cheaper than the other, you'd choose the cheaper one, right? That's not a theoretical scenario. That is the choice you can make right now with Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile works with your current phone, your current phone number, and you can keep all your contacts. It uses the T-Mobile network, which is the fastest mobile network in the United States. You just spend less money because Mint Mobile doesn't have the overhead of other mobile companies. That's why I recommend Mint Mobile. To get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/eed. That's mintmobile.com/eed.

Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/eed.

That's it. There's no catch. Upfront payment of $45 for 3 months, $90 for 6 months, or $180 for 12 month plan required, $15 per month equivalent, taxes and fees extra, initial plan term only. Greater than 50GB may slow when network is busy, includes up to 20GB hotspot. Capable device required, availability, speed and coverage varies. See mintmobile.com.

One of the most important domesticated animals is one that most people in the modern world don't have direct experience with, the goat. Yet, goats have allowed humans to live in places that would otherwise be difficult or impossible.

Taxonomically, goats belong to the Bovedae family. Members of the Bovedae family are primarily identified by having permanent horns, a specialized four-chamber stomach, and hooves with two functional toes. The evolutionary lineage is believed to have diverged from deer and giraffes about 20 million years ago. Early members of the Bovedae lineage lived in woodland environments and were rather small.

The earliest known Bovid was a small antelope-like animal called an Eotragus. These creatures lived in Eurasia and had many of the key characteristics that modern Bovids have. One trait that helped Bovids succeed was their crowned teeth. It's believed that these evolved to let the species consume tougher vegetation and grass. Modern goats belong to the subfamily Caprine, which includes sheep and several other mountain-dwelling Bovids. Caprine includes domesticated goats and sheep, along with other wild animals such as musk oxen and mountain goats. Depending on the classification system, it contains roughly three dozen living species divided into several evolutionary lines. Domestic goats belong to the subfamily Caprine and the genus Capra. Capra is the root of Capricorn, the sign of the zodiac whose symbol is a goat.

As Caprines evolved, different species adapted to habitats ranging from rugged mountains to rocky slopes. Their specialized hooves, strong limbs and excellent balance let many species navigate terrain that was inaccessible to larger grazing mammals. Goats and sheep eventually evolved to live in more mountainous regions. Mountains gave them access to vegetation that other herbivores couldn't reach, and steep cliffs and rocky outcrops also offered opportunities to escape predators. To consume this food, goats had to develop new behaviors to survive. Goats evolved a flexible browsing strategy that allowed them to consume leaves, shrubs and other vegetation that many grazing animals largely avoid. Their digestive systems and feeding behavior allowed them to tolerate certain plant compounds, although many poisonous plants remained dangerous. Another trait that was developed for the mountains was their trademark agility. To survive they had to climb trees and rocks, so goats evolved muscles and bones better suited for rapid precise movement. Goats were among the earliest livestock animals domesticated by humans, with evidence dating back approximately 10,000 years. Their domestication occurred roughly at the same broad period as the domestication of sheep, pigs and cattle somewhere in Southwest Asia. Not all wild animals are suitable for domestication. Typically humans need animals who can live in herds, reproduce quickly and can adapt to living in captivity. Most animals can't do this, but goats can.