The Alpine Goat (Capra hircus) is a mid-sized European ungulate featured in the Barnyard Animal Pack DLC for Planet Zoo.
Zoopedia Description[]
General[]
Population In Wild: 460,000
The Alpine goat is a breed of domestic goat (or Capra hircus) originating in the French Alps, found in France, Italy, and Switzerland. Alpine goats were developed as a dairy breed with a high yield of milk per animal and are adapted to the climatic conditions of their montane pastures. They have a stocky body, with long, thin limbs and neck. The short coat may be a solid brown, black, white, or grey, with black or white markings, or a patterned combination of all base colours. The head is small, with long, straight ears and slightly curved horns. Both bucks and does may have curved horns and a beard below the chin, though ornamentations tend to be larger in males. Alpine goats are 0.76m to 0.95m tall at the shoulder. Males are taller and heavier than females, weighing 77kg to 100kg, while females weigh between 61kg and 70kg.
Humans domesticated goats around 10,000 years ago, making them one of the earliest animals kept as livestock for meat, milk, clothing, and tools. The most likely ancestor of all domesticated goats today is thought to be the bezoar ibex, a subspecies of the wild goat from the Caucasus mountains in Asia. Alpine goats are a common domesticated breed, used for dairy production and crossbreeding, and have no conservation needs.
Social[]
Alpine goats are curious and gregarious animals who live in herds. Hierarchy in a group is determined by age and size. Males with access to females may fight during the rut, but can be kept in bachelor herds. Goats can develop bonds between individuals and even towards humans.
Reproduction[]
The breeding season for Alpine goats usually lasts from autumn to early spring, though other goat breeds from warmer climates may breed at any time of the year. During the breeding season, does go into oestrus every three weeks, and bucks enter rut. A doe signals her readiness to mate with increased vocalisation and restlessness. Rutting males emit a strong smell, created by urinating on their neck and forelegs and making secretions of glands at the base of their horns. This smell makes them attractive to females. When courting a female, a male exhibits the flehmen reaction, and nudges the doe with his shoulder. If she accepts him, they will mate.
Pregnancy in Alpine goats last around 150 days, after which a doe gives birth to one to three kids, with twins being the majority of births. Kids are fully weaned from their mother’s milk between 3 and 5.5 months old, although in commercial settings weaning often happens earlier.
Goats mature very quickly and reach sexual maturity at 1 to 1.5 years old, although physical development may continue for a while longer. Horn growth is usually complete between 3 to 5 years old.
Animal Care[]
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Hay · Herbivore Pellets · Root Vegetables and Salt Licks | |
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FEEDING STATIONS | |
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FOOD ENRICHMENT |
HABITAT ENRICHMENT |
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COMPATIBLE ANIMALS |
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Trivia[]
Zoopedia Fun Facts[]
- There are two types of Alpine goats: the French, or ‘purebred’ Alpine from the French Alps, and the American Alpine, a breed developed in the USA based on imported stock from France.
- Alpine goats can have many different colourations, and there are a variety of French terms to describe their different patterns.
- Goats have a reputation of eating almost anything, which likely stems from their browsing behaviour. They will sample any item they come across to test whether it's edible, but may not actually eat it.
- Goats which have been abandoned or escaped into the wild will quickly adopt feral behaviours and establish a population in the wild. There are invasive populations of feral goats in various countries.
- Alpine goats make up the majority of dairy goats in France.
Gallery[]
