Domestic Goat Skull

Goats were actually one of the very first animals humans domesticated. People were herding them around 9,000 years ago in the Middle East. They were basically the ultimate survival buddies. Goats gave milk, meat, hair, and hides, and they could handle rough, rocky land where other animals struggled. If you were starting an early farming community, goats were a solid investment.

And no, goats do not actually eat tin cans. That is just one of those rumors that refuses to die. Goats are browsers, which means they like munching on leaves, shrubs, vines, and pretty much any plant they can reach. The whole “eating cans” idea probably started because goats were seen chewing the paper labels off cans. What? You don't do that?   Older labels used glue that sometimes had animal-based ingredients, which made it kind of tasty to them. They might nibble out of curiosity, but they definitely are not digesting metal.

Goats have also had their moment in the spotlight historically. In ancient Egypt, they were connected to fertility and wealth. The Pharaoh Cephranes was even buried with more than 2,000 goats. That is not a small number. Safe to say he was a big fan.