The Irish Goat

Goat

The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...

breed from Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 is used for the production of meat

Goat meat

Goat meat is the meat of the domestic goat . It is often called chevon or mutton when the meat comes from adults, and cabrito or kid when from young animals...

 and milk. Although this breed is not native to Ireland, domesticated goats have long been kept for milk, meat, and skin. In many parts of the region, feral populations have become established as a result of escapes or deliberate releases from captivity. Populations have persisted in remote and rugged areas to which the animal is ideally adapted. These goats are nimble-footed on crags and precipitous cliffs. They have a range of colours, but the coat is usually a mixture of grey, black, and brown. Both sexes have horns, larger in the male than in the female.