Photograph by Ramanathan Kathiresan;
used with permission under CC BY 2.0
Most people think goats will eat just about anything, but that is not true! Being herbivores, goats are actually very picky eaters and will graze for the best food available first, and then will eat what is left if they are still hungry.
Goats have a reputation for being garbage eaters; however, this rumour most likely comes from the fact that goats are able to digest just about anything and everything they come across--including plants that are poisonous to just about every other type of animal. Sometimes goats have been spotted eating cardboard and labels off of tin cans. However, if goats could talk they would tell you that they would prefer to dine on some fresh grass or hay
Actually, different from cows or other grazing animals, goats are referred to as “browsers,” which means that they love to reach the highest, most delicate part of a plant. This is why so many people have seen goats standing on tree branches or on rocks higher off the ground.
When we were in Hawai’i’s Big Island this past May, we came across hundreds of wild goats standing tall on various lava rocks. Not only did they look quite hilarious, they actually served as inspiration for this entire section!
