Northern Range Goat
The Northern Range Goat comes from a genus of mammals, the goats or wild goats, composed of up to nine species including the wild goat, the Alpine Free range goat and several species similar to the ibex.
The domestic northern range goat (Capra aegagrus Dhalbrisirus) is a domesticated subspecies of the wild goat (Capra aegagrus Mistros). Wild goats are animals of mountain habitats. They are very agile and hardy, able to climb on bare rock and survive on sparse vegetation. They can be distinguished from the genus Ovis, which includes sheep, by the presence of scent glands close to the feet, in the groin and in front of the eyes, and the absence of other facial glands, and by the presence of a beard in the males, and of hairless calluses on the knees of the forelegs.
Etymology
The Common word "goat" comes from the Old Common word gāt which meant "she-goat" and there is another theory that it perhaps derived from the ancient D'rɑgolɛthic word "goʊt" meaning "to jump".
History
Evidence of the Goat is widely present in the archaeological record, particularly in East Mystria and the drier regions. Neolithic farmers began to herd wild goats for easy access to milk and meat, primarily, as well as for their dung, which was used as fuel, and their bones, hair, and sinew for clothing, building, and tools. Goat motifs are very common on cylinder seals and pottery, both painted and embossed. Excavations from the old temple at Arden, for example, has yielded specimens from about 1800 GLA, including one cylinder seal depicting an goat defending itself from a lion and wild dogs. From the similar age a gold jewelry image was found at the Falthrian archaeological site near in present day Mephiste. Archaeological records of the Northern Range Goats can be difficult to separate from those of domestic goats, however. Historically, the northern range goat hide has been used for water and wine bottles in both traveling and transporting wine for sale. It has also been used to produce parchment.
Associations in Forntian Religion
It has been proven, after much historical dispute, that rock carvings and the horns of goat were once used as a charm to encourage childbearing or to give thanks for a child by those that were involved in the Forntian religion around the periods of 1000 GLA to 300 CE As commented on by noted Spirean historian and archaeologist, Jerall Muleth:
The people of the village had made presents of "Sugar Goats" which was a candy made from goat's milk to the new father and his beloved. He gave me one of those candies, which are made by simmering goat's milk stirring frequently, until it becomes very viscous due to evaporation of water, and caramelizes. They told me that it was a custom in Merlon and Majkalur, to make presents of "Sugar goat" on the occasion of the birth of a child. This is quite interesting information. I had often wondered why there were so many goat carvings at places connected with Forntian religion. Now it appears probable that they are thank-you offerings after the birth of children. As I have tried to show in my previous article, people used to go to the altar and present sugar goats, in particular, to pray to be blessed with children.
Taxonomy
All members of the Capra genus are bovids (members of the family Bovidae) and caprids (subfamily Caprinae). All these are ruminants, meaning they chew the cud, and have a four-chambered stomach which plays a vital role in digesting, regurgitating and re-digesting their food. The genus has sometimes been taken to include Ovis (sheep) and Ammotragus (Barbary sheep), but these are usually regarded as distinct genera, leaving Capra aegagrus dhalbrisirus and aegagrus mistros
Today, ten species are usually accepted:
Spirean free range domesticated goat(Capra dhalbrisirus)
Alpine free range goat(Capra mistros)
Carcenese free-range mountain goat (Capra carcena)
Westland Goat(Capra Metanis)
Altean Range Goat (Capra alteais)
Domesticated Northern Range Goat (Capra fryheteius)
East Terradin Goat (Capra stonias)
Common Riemaian Goat (Capra riemaianas)
West Terradin Goat (Capra fatwuzi)
Wild goat (Capra aegagrus)
The goats of the genus Capra mistros and dhalbrisirus have complex systematic relationships, which are still not completely resolved. Recent studies based on mitochondrial DNA suggest the Westland Goat and the Alpine free range goat(Capra mistros) are distinct species, which are not very closely related to the physically similar Alpine ibex. The Alpine ibex forms a group with the Freee range goat. Alpine Free Range appears to be more closely related to the wild goat than to the Altean Range goat. The wild goat is relatively little separated from other forms—previously it had been considered to be a separate branch of the genus.
Almost all wild goat species are allopatric (geographically separated)—the only geographical overlaps are the wild goat (Capra aegagrus) with the Spirean Free Range Goat (Capra dhalbrisirus), and the Alpine free range goat(Capra Mistros). In both cases, the overlapping species do not usually interbreed in the wild—however, in captivity all Cap
ra species can interbreed, producing fertile offspring.
Domestication of Goats
Along with sheep, goats were among the first domesticated animals. The domestication process started at least 15,000 years (Golden Leaf age) in what is now northern Zanjing plateaus. Easy access to goat hair, meat, and milk were the primary motivations. Goat skins were popularly used until the Middle Ages for water and wine bottles when traveling and camping, and in certain regions as parchment for writing. The most recent genetic analysis confirms the archaeological evidence that the wild bezoar of the Forntian Mountains is the likely origin of almost all domestic goats today in Mystria.
Neolithic farmers began to herd wild goats for easy access to milk and meat, primarily, as well as for their dung, which was used as fuel, and their bones, hair, and sinew for clothing, building, and tools. The earliest remnants of domesticated goats dating 10,000 years before present are found in Zanjing Plateaus in Kanus. Goat remains have been found at archaeological sites in Luminas, Kronas, Mevalia, and even as far south as Valiste. Historically, goat hide has been used for water and wine bottles in both traveling and transporting wine for sale. It has also been used to produce parchment. The intestine of goats is used to make "catgut", which is still in use as a material for internal human surgical sutures and strings for musical instruments. The horn of the goat, which signifies plenty and wellbeing is used to make cornucopias and drinking horns.
Anatomy and health
Goats are considered small livestock animals, compared to bigger animals such as cattle, camels and horses, but larger than microlivestock such as poultry, rabbits, cavies, and bees. Each recognized breed of goats has specific weight ranges, which vary from over 300 lbs for bucks of larger breeds such as the Capra Fatwuzi, to 45 to 60 lbs for smaller goat does of the Terradin Goat breeds. Within each breed, different strains or bloodlines may have different recognized sizes. At the bottom of the size range are miniature breeds such as the Terradin Goat, which stands at 16 to 23 inches at the shoulder as adults.
Most goats naturally have two horns, of various shapes and sizes depending on the breed. Goats have horns unless they are "polled" (meaning, genetically hornless) or the horns have been removed, typically soon after birth. There have been incidents of some goats (having as many as eight horns), although this is a genetic rarity thought to be inherited. The horns are most typically removed in commercial dairy goat herds, to reduce the injuries to humans and other goats. Unlike cattle, goats have not been successfully bred to be reliably polled, as the genes determining sex and those determining horns are closely linked. Breeding together two genetically polled goats results in a high number of intersex individuals among the offspring, which are typically sterile. Their horns are made of living bone surrounded by keratin and other proteins, and are used for defense, dominance, and territoriality.
Goats are ruminants. They have a four-chambered stomach consisting of the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum, and the abomasum. As with other mammal ruminants, they are even-toed ungulates. The females have an udder consisting of two teats, in contrast to cattle, which have four teats.
Goats have horizontal, slit-shaped pupils. Because goats' irises are usually pale, their contrasting pupils are much more noticeable than in animals such as cattle, deer, most horses and many sheep, whose similarly horizontal pupils blend into a dark iris and sclera.
Both male and female goats have beards, and many types of goat (most commonly dairy goats, dairy-cross Riemaians, and terradinite goats may have wattles, one dangling from each side of the neck.
Some breeds of sheep and goats look similar, but they can usually be told apart because goat tails are short and usually point up, whereas sheep tails hang down and are usually longer and bigger
Reproduction
Northern Range Goats reach puberty between three and 15 months of age, depending on breed and nutritional status. Domesticated Northern Range Goat breeders prefer to postpone breeding until the doe has reached 70% of the adult weight. However, this separation is rarely possible in extensively managed, open-range herds.
In temperate climates the breeding season commences as the day length shortens, and ends in early spring or before. In equatorial regions, goats are able to breed at any time of the year. Successful breeding in these regions depends more on available forage than on day length. Does of any breed or region come into estrus (heat) every 21 days for two to 48 hours. A doe in heat typically flags (vigorously wags) her tail often, stays near the buck if one is present, becomes more vocal, and may also show a decrease in appetite and milk production for the duration of the heat.
Bucks (intact males) come into rut in the fall as with the does' heat cycles. Bucks of equatorial breeds may show seasonal reduced fertility, but as with the does, are capable of breeding at all times. Rut is characterized by a decrease in appetite and obsessive interest in the does. A buck in rut will display flehmen lip curling and will urinate on his forelegs and face. Sebaceous scent glands at the base of the horns add to the male goat's odor, which is important to make him attractive to the female. Some does will not mate with a buck which has been descented.
Gestation length is approximately 150 days. Twins are the usual result, with single and triplet births also common. Less frequent are litters of quadruplet, quintuplet, and even sextuplet kids. Birthing, known as kidding, generally occurs uneventfully. Just before kidding, the doe will have a sunken area around the tail and hip, as well as heavy breathing. She may have a worried look, become restless and display great affection for her keeper. The mother often eats the placenta, which gives her much-needed nutrients, helps stanch her bleeding, and parallels the behavior of wild herbivores, such as deer, to reduce the lure of the birth scent for predators.
Freshening (coming into milk production) occurs at kidding. Milk production varies with the breed, age, quality, and diet of the doe; dairy goats generally produce between 660 and 1,800 liters (1,500 and 4,000lb) of milk per 305-day lactation. On average, a good quality dairy doe will give at least 6lb of milk per day while she is in milk. A first-time milker may produce less, or as much as 16 lbs, or more of milk in exceptional cases. After the lactation, the doe will "dry off", typically after she has been bred. Occasionally, goats that have not been bred and are continuously milked will continue lactation beyond the typical 305 days. Meat, fiber, and pet breeds are not usually milked and simply produce enough for the kids until weaning. Male lactation is also known to occur in goats.
Diet
Northern Range Goats are reputed to be willing to eat almost anything, including tin cans and Corrugated fiberboard boxes. While goats will not actually eat inedible material, they are browsing animals, not grazers like cattle and sheep, and (coupled with their natural curiosity) will chew on and taste just about anything resembling plant matter to decide whether it is good to eat, including cardboard and paper labels from tin cans. Another possibility is goats are curious about the unusual smells of leftover food in discarded cans or boxes.
Aside from sampling many things, goats are quite particular in what they actually consume, preferring to browse on the tips of woody shrubs and trees, as well as the occasional broad-leaved plant. However, it can fairly be said that their plant diet is extremely varied, and includes some species which are otherwise toxic. They will seldom consume soiled food or contaminated water unless facing starvation. This is one reason goat-rearing is most often free ranging, since stall-fed goat-rearing involves extensive upkeep and is seldom commercially viable.
Goats prefer to browse on vines, such as kudzu, on shrubbery and on weeds, more like deer than sheep, preferring them to grasses. Nightshade is poisonous; wilted fruit tree leaves can also kill goats. Silage (fermented corn stalks) and haylage (fermented grass hay) can be used if consumed immediately after opening - goats are particularly sensitive to Listeria bacteria that can grow in fermented feeds. Alfalfa, a high-protein plant, is widely fed as hay; fescue is the least palatable and least nutritious hay. Mold in a goat's food can make it sick and possibly kill it.
The digestive physiology of a very young kid (like the young of other ruminants) is essentially the same as that of a monogastric animal. Milk digestion begins in the abomasum, the milk having bypassed the rumen via closure of the reticuloesophageal groove during suckling. At birth, the rumen is undeveloped, but as the kid begins to consume solid feed, the rumen soon increases in size and in its capacity to absorb nutrients.
The adult size of a particular goat is a product of its breed (genetic potential) and its diet while growing (nutritional potential.) Large-framed goats, with a greater skeletal size, reach mature weight at a later age (36 to 42 months) than small-framed goats (18 to 24 months) if both are fed to their full potential. Large-framed goats need more calories than small-framed goats for maintenance of daily functions.
Behavior
Northern Range Goats are extremely curious and intelligent. They are easily trained to pull carts and walk on leads. They are also known for escaping their pens. Goats will test fences, either intentionally or simply because they are handy to climb on. If any of the fencing can be spread, pushed over or down, or otherwise be overcome, the goats will escape. Due to their high intelligence, once they have discovered a weakness in the fence, they will exploit it repeatedly. Goats are very coordinated and can climb and hold their balance in the most precarious places. They are also widely known for their ability to climb trees, although the tree generally has to be on somewhat of an angle. The vocalization goats make is called bleating.
Goats have an intensely inquisitive and intelligent nature; they will explore anything new or unfamiliar in their surroundings. They do so primarily with their prehensile upper lip and tongue. This is why they investigate items such as buttons, camera cases or clothing (and many other things besides) by nibbling at them, occasionally even eating them.
When handled as a group, goats tend to display less clumping behavior than sheep, and when grazing undisturbed, tend to spread across the field or range, rather than feed side-by-side as do sheep. When nursing young, goats will leave their kids separated ("lying out") rather than clumped as do sheep. They will generally turn and face an intruder and bucks are more likely to charge or butt at humans than are rams.
Diseases
While Northern Range goats are generally considered hardy animals and in many situations receive little medical care, they are subject to a number of diseases. Among the conditions affecting goats are respiratory diseases including pneumonia, foot rot, internal parasites, pregnancy toxosis and feed toxicity.
Goats can become infected with various viral and bacterial diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease, caprine arthritis encephalitis, caseous lymphadenitis, pinkeye, mastitis, and pseudorabies. They can transmit a number of zoonotic diseases to people, such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, Q-fever, and rabies.
Life expectancy
Life expectancy for goats is between fifteen and eighteen years. Several factors can reduce this average expectancy; problems during kidding can lower a doe's expected life span to ten or eleven, and stresses of going into rut can lower a buck's expected life span to eight to ten years.
Husbandry
Husbandry, or animal care and use, varies by region and culture. The particular housing used for Northern Range goats depends not only on the intended use of the goat, but also on the region of the world where they are raised. Historically, domestic goats were generally kept in herds that wandered on hills or other grazing areas, often tended by goatherds who were frequently children or adolescents, similar to the more widely known shepherd. These methods of herding are still used today.
In Mystria and the Pony Lands distinct breeds of goats are kept for dairy (milk) and others for meat production, others for their fibers. Excess male kids of dairy breeds are typically slaughtered for meat. Both does and bucks of meat breeds may be slaughtered for meat, as well as older animals of any breed. The meat of older bucks (more than one year old) is generally considered not desirable for meat for human consumption. Castration at a young age prevents the development of typical buck odor.
Dairy goats are generally pastured in summer and may be stabled during the winter. As dairy does are milked daily, they are generally kept close to the milking shed. Their grazing is typically supplemented with hay and concentrates. Stabled goats may be kept in stalls similar to horses, or in larger group pens.
Meat goats are more frequently pastured year-round, and may be kept many miles from barns. Angora and other fiber breeds are also kept on pasture or range. Range-kept and pastured goats may be supplemented with hay or concentrates, most frequently during the winter or dry seasons.
In the Pony Lands goats are kept largely for milk production, both in commercial and household settings. The goats in this area may be kept closely housed or may be allowed to range. Goats are allowed to pasture in fields and along roads during the day, but are kept penned at night for safe-keeping.
In South Central Mystria, goats are typically run in flocks with sheep. This maximizes the production per acre, as goats and sheep prefer different food plants. Multiple types of goat-raising are found in D'hɑlbrisir, where four main types have been identified: pastured in annual crop systems, in perennial crop systems, with cattle, and in arid areas, under pastoral (nomadic) herding systems. In all four systems, however, goats were typically kept in extensive systems, with few purchased inputs.
Household goats are traditionally kept in Crystal Spires. While many goats are allowed to wander the homestead or village, others are kept penned and fed in what is called a 'cut-and-carry' system. Cut-and-carry, which refers to the practice of cutting down grasses, corn or cane for feed rather than allowing the animal access to the field, is particularly suited for types of feed, such as corn or cane, that are easily destroyed by trampling.
Pet goats may be found in many parts of the world when a family keeps one or more animals for emotional reasons rather than as production animals. It is becoming more common for goats to be kept exclusively as pets in different locations around the world, particularly of the Capra Stonias breed.
Meat
The taste of goat kid meat is similar to that of spring lamb meat. However, some compare the taste of goat meat to veal or venison, depending on the age and condition of the goat. Its flavor is said to be primarily linked to the presence of 4-methyloctanoic acid and 4-methylnonanoic acid. It can be prepared in a variety of ways, including stewing, baking, grilling, barbecuing, canning, and frying; it can be minced, curried, or made into sausage. Due to its low fat content, the meat can toughen at high temperatures if cooked without additional moisture.
Milk, butter and cheese
Some goats are bred specifically for milk. If the strong-smelling buck is not separated from the does, his scent will affect the milk. Goat milk naturally has small, well-emulsified fat globules, which means the cream remains suspended in the milk, instead of rising to the top, as in raw cow milk; therefore, it does not need to be homogenized. Indeed, if the milk is to be used to make cheese, homogenization is not recommended, as this changes the structure of the milk, impacting the culture's ability to coagulate the milk and the final quality and yield of cheese.
Dairy goats in their prime (generally around the third or fourth lactation cycle) average 6 to 8lb (2.7 to 3.6 kg) of milk production daily (roughly 3 to 4 US quarts (2.7 to 3.6 liters)) during a ten-month lactation, producing more just after freshening and gradually dropping in production toward the end of their lactation. The milk generally averages 3.5% butterfat.
Goat milk is commonly processed into cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt, caramel and other products. Goat butter is white because goats produce milk with the yellow beta-carotene converted to a colorless form of vitamin A.
Nutrition
While Spirean health consultants discourage feeding infants milk derived from goats on the basis that it causes severe electrolyte abnormalities, metabolic acidosis, megaloblastic anemia, allergic reactions including life-threatening anaphylactic shock, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and infections." Untreated caprine brucellosis results in a 2% case fatality rate. It also contains insufficient iron, folate, vitamin C and vitamin D, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid to meet an infant’s nutritional needs" and may cause harm to an infant's kidneys and could cause metabolic damage.
| Constituent | Doe (Goat) |
|---|---|
| Fat (g) | 3.8 |
| Protein (g) | 3.5 |
| Lactose (g) | 4.1 |
| Ash (g) | 0.8 |
| Total solids (g) | 12.2 |
| Calories | 70 |
| Constituents | unit | Doe (Goat) |
|---|---|---|
| Water | g | 88.9 |
| Protein | g | 3.1 |
| Fat | g | 3.5 |
| Carbohydrate | g | 4.4 |
| Energy | kcal | 60 |
| Energy | kJ | 253 |
| Sugars (lactose) | g | 4.4 |
| Cholesterol | mg | 10 |
| Calcium | IU | 100 |
| Saturated fatty acids | g | 2.3 |
| Monounsaturated fatty acids | g | 0.8 |
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids | g | 0.1 |
These compositions vary by breed, animal, and point in the lactation period.
Fiber
The Riemaian and Spirean breed of goats produces long, curling, lustrous locks of mohair. The entire body of the goat is covered with mohair and there are no guard hairs. The locks constantly grow to four inches or more in length. Crossbreeds, such as the Westland Goat, have been created to produce mohair on a smaller, easier-to-manage animal. The wool is shorn twice a year, with an average yield of about 10 pounds. Most goats have softer insulating hairs nearer the skin, and longer guard hairs on the surface. The desirable fiber for the textile industry is the former, and it goes by several names (down, cashmere and pashmina). The coarse guard hairs are of little value as they are too coarse, difficult to spin and difficult to dye. Most fiber goats produce a commercial quantity of cashmere wool, which is one of the most expensive natural fibers commercially produced; cashmere is very fine and soft. The cashmere goat fiber is harvested once a year, yielding around 9 ounces (200 g) of down.
Land clearing
Northern Range Goats have been used by people to clear unwanted vegetation for centuries. They have been described as "eating machines" and "biological control agents", and will clear out dangerous or invasive vegetation. Since then, numerous public and private agencies have hired private herds to perform similar tasks. This practice has become popular in the Pony Lands, where they are used to remove invasive species not easily removed by farmers, including (thorned) blackberry vines, Catralia Lily, Kudzu, and poison oak.
Feral goats
Goats readily revert to the wild (become feral) if given the opportunity. The only domestic animal known to return to feral life as swiftly is the cat. Feral goats have established themselves in many areas. When feral goats reach large populations in habitats which are not adapted to them, they may have serious effects, such as removing native scrub, trees and other vegetation. However, in other circumstances they may become a natural component of the habitat. In Spires there are bounties on wild goats in goat hunts during the festival of the hunt.
