One of my first memories of goats was when I was about five years old at a petting zoo. A wily black and white goat snatched away my denim purse with his mouth. I was stunned, but figured that perhaps the goat had a better use for a purse than I did.

With four stomachs, goats can digest a lot of things; however, contrary to popular myths about goats eating tin cans and garbage, goats are rather discriminating about their diet. Rather than gobbling up everything that comes their way, if a goat tries to nibble at your jacket or your shoes they are just giving them an experimental chew before they decide to actually eat it.  Perhaps the “experimental chew” strategy of consumption for goats can be useful for humans. Be curious about the world, you never know what opportunity is going to be an unappetizing tin can or a delicious, nutritious bright orange carrot.

The experimental chew