The goat is a horned and hoofed mammal belonging to the order Artiodactyla. Goats are closely related to sheep but differ in several respects, chiefly in the absence of glands on the hind feet, the presence of a beard and an unpleasant "goaty odor" in the male, and in the formation of the skull. They are restless. inquisitive animals, frequenting precipitous slopes and mountainous areas in small bands of from 5 to 10 individuals. Their food consists mainly of grass and the leaves and shoots of bushes and trees.
The many kinds of wild goats differ considerably in size, color, and horn structure. The majority, however, range from two and a half to three and a half feet in height and are usually shades of gray or brown, depending upon the season. Some are solid-colored, while others have conspicuous black or white markings. The horns generally curve outward and upward, and in one species, the markhor, are spirally twisted.
Wild goats are confined to Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia. Typical of these are the pasang of Asia Minor and Persia; the ibex of Asia and Europe; the Himalayan tahr; the Nilgiri tahr of southern India; the Caucasian tur; and the markhor of northwestern India. Despite its name and appearance, the rocky mountain goat of North America is not a true goat. It is classified as a goat-antelope and is closely allied to the chamois, goral, and serow.
Domestic goats are descended from the pasang, Copra aegagrus, of Asia Minor and Persia and are related to the ibexes, markhors, tahrs, and other wild goats. There are many domestic breeds, each developed and adapted for a particular purpose or environment. They are milk producers in China, India, Europe, Egypt, and North America. They also provide food, the flesh of the kid being quite palatable. Some breeds have long hair, called monair. which is used in material for draperies and upholstered furniture.
