Mountain Goat Horns: Are They Hollow, What Are They Used For, And More!
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Another name for a mountain goat is the Rocky Mountain goat.
These goats are endemic to the vast range of mountainous regions of North America and Canada. These hoofed mammals are excellent climbers and are often seen on ice and cliffs.
The scientific name of the mountain goats is Oreamnos americanus, which translates to 'a mountain lamb belonging to America.' These animals are mammals belonging to the family Bovidae. Mountain goats are not considered to be goats at all. Instead, they are part of the family of antelopes.
The male mountain goats are known as 'billies', while the females are known as 'nannies'. The young ones of these animals are called kids, while a group of mountain goats is called a 'band'.
The billies usually prefer to stay by themselves, and the band thus consists of the nannies and the kids. The billies might form a small group or band of their own.
The average lifespan of a Rocky Mountain goat is about 11 years. The body size differs among the kids, yearlings, and mature goats.
The kids have a small body size and weigh around 35 lb (15.87 kg). Meanwhile, the yearlings weigh 60-70 lb (27.22-31.75 kg). The juvenile goats after the initial two years are quite hard to distinguish from the adult ones.
The adult billies, on average, weigh around 150 lb (68.03 kg). The weight of a billy can also go up to 300 lb (136.08 kg).
The adult billies are distinguished from the nannies because of their larger bodies. The females, or the nannies, weigh about 125 lb (56.70 kg). The weight of nannies can reach up to 250 lb (113.40 kg).
Their bodies are adapted to live in their natural habitat of mountains. The hoofed feet help them climb the steep terrain, along with their wide and powerful shoulders. These goats also have thick coats.
The coat of the goats has two thick layers in order to provide them with warmth during colder temperatures.
The layer of coat closest to the goat's body is the same texture as soft wool. This layer of the coat insulates the goat. At the same time, the layer above it is called 'guard hairs'. This coating layer has long and thick hairs and provides protection from the snow, rain, and wind.
The goats begin shedding their heavy coats by late spring. The layers come off in chunks, and a goat could be seen brushing against tree trunks and bushes in order to get rid of the coat.
The mountain goats are herbivorous by nature, which means their typical diet includes herbs, grass, fern, moss, sedges, lichens, and leaves and twigs from shrubs that are low-growing. While held in captivity, they can also eat alfalfa, grains, grass, and vegetables. These goats are known for grazing for long periods and spend most of their lives doing just that.
How often do mountain goats shed their horns?
Along with the hoofed feet, the horns are also one of the unique characteristics of mountain goats. The horn of a mountain goat serves many purposes.
Each horn of this animal is slender and pointed. The horn extends in an upward direction from a goat's head. The horns are also slightly curved. Moreover, the horns of the mountain goats grow constantly. But unlike the antlers of deer, moose, and elk, the horns of these goats are not shed.
The growth of the horn continues for as long as the goat lives and does not require regular shedding as those of some animals are known to do. However, the growth is not as rapid as it was during the juvenile years, and they actually grow very slowly as the adult goat gets older.
How do mountain goats use their horns?
The horns of mountain goats have one very important function that they perform. This function of the horn is the same in both male and female mountain goats.
This part of the goat is used as a defense against an attacking force. These goats have many predators in the wild. In order to protect themselves, the goats make use of their sharp and slender horns to attack the predator. The goats may also fight amongst themselves, and the horn is used in this situation too.
How long are mountain goat horns?
Different animals have different horn lengths depending on the function they serve and the sex and age of the animals. The horn length of the mountain goat also depends on these factors.
The horn length of the young goats is quite small. They appear like small buttons atop their heads when they are still only a few months old. As the goats grow, within a yearling age, the size of the horn is almost half of what the horn length of an adult would be.
The length of the horn for both adult male and female goats is similar. The average range of the horn length is about 5.9-11 in (15-28 cm).
It is quite difficult to calculate the length of the horn while the goats are roaming around in the wild. The goat hunted as a game can be used to calculate an average length.
How to judge sex and age by horn size and appearance?
The Rocky Mountain goat is a game during the hunting season in America.
However, not all goats are to be considered as a game to be hunted. For instance, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, in regards to management issues, asks hunters to target only adult males during the hunting season.
And in order to target mature males or billies, it is necessary to have knowledge about the differences between the males and females of this animal species.
The billies and the nannies look extremely similar to each other. While the young goat's overall size can be quite an advantage to differentiate it from the mature billy or female, the slightly older ones are still somewhat similar in height and weight to mature goats.
The size and appearance of the horn can be really useful in differentiating the sex and age of mountain goats.
When it comes to the shape of the goat's horn, the billies have a horn that has a slight overall curve. Meanwhile, the horn of the nanny has a sharper curve toward the tip.
A young goat's horn is smaller than an adult's and quite distinguishable. The length of these appendages is also affected by grooming, which is the wearing of the tips.
The rings are one of the characteristics of the goat's horns that can be used to calculate the age of the animal. There are rings on the horns similar to those on the trees.
Just like the scales on a fish and the rings on a tree, the horn's rings are able to tell the age of the goat too. Each year, the goat's horns develop seasonal rings.
There would be one less ring than the actual age of the goat. This indicates that a two-year-old goat will have one single ring, while a three-year-old will have two. It would be the same case for the older goats, be they males or females.
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Doctorate specializing in Veterinary Medicine
Oluniyi AkandeDoctorate specializing in Veterinary Medicine
With an accomplished background as a Veterinarian, SEO content writer, and public speaker, Oluniyi brings a wealth of skills and experience to his work. Holding a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Ibadan, he provides exceptional consulting services to pet owners, animal farms, and agricultural establishments. Oluniyi's impressive writing career spans over five years, during which he has produced over 5000 high-quality short- and long-form pieces of content. His versatility shines through as he tackles a diverse array of topics, including pets, real estate, sports, games, technology, landscaping, healthcare, cosmetics, personal loans, debt management, construction, and agriculture.
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