How long do goats live?

When someone mentions goats, people usually think about the domestic goat. This is definitely the best-known kind of goat, but it is worth mentioning that there are wild goats too and they are found in Eastern Europe and southwest Asia.

How long do goats live?

The goat belongs to the Bovidae family and its closest relative is the sheep. Scientists have confirmed the existence of more than 300 breeds of goat. It is interesting that goats are one of the first animals that people have managed to domesticate. Back then and today, goats were valuable because people used them for their skins, hair, meat and milk. According to some statistics, there are more than 900 million live goats on our planet and they can be found in almost every region of the world.

Index
  1. Goat facts
  2. Goats lifespan

Goat facts

These small livestock animals are known for their curiosity. In addition, most people are aware of their outstanding agility and flexibility which helps them climb and keep balance in dangerous places. It is not unusual for goats to escape their pens and in most cases, they are doing this out of curiosity. Compared to their relatives, sheep, goats are more independent and they don’t show the typical sheep herding mentality. Yet, they still follow this mentality.

Another thing that is interesting about goats is that many people keep them as pets. They are fascinated by goats' ability to create strong bonds with humans. Once this connection is established, the goat will follow its guardian wherever they go.

Goats lifespan

Just like any other animal, goats have a certain life expectancy. So, how long do goats live?

Since they are domestic animals, it is much easier for people to determine their life expectancy. According to official statistics, their lifespan is between 15 and 18 years. Of course, there are many cases where they live shorter lives and longer lives. There is an official report of a goat that lived 24 years.

There are many different factors that affect the life expectancy of goats. For instance, in case there are issues during the process of kidding, a doe (female goat) usually lives for 10 or 11 years. On the other hand, if the buck is stressed their life expectancy is between 8 and 10 years.

There are many things that goat owners can do to extend the lives of these precious animals. For instance, many of them are focused on the food their goats consume. In order to keep a goat healthy, people should give them high-quality hay. It is also a good idea to provide legume hays from time to time because they are packed with valuable nutrients for goats. Although they can eat weeds and vegetation, their diet should include only small amounts of these things.

Goats lifespan

Goats can be affected by different health issues starting from worms and other similar parasites to serious diseases. Owners should act as soon as they notice the first symptoms if they want their animals to live longer. Finally, each goat should have a minimum space of two square meters to feel comfortable. The more space goat owners provide the better.

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