Goats are one of the earliest domesticated hoofed animals

Goats are one of the earliest domesticated hoofed animals. People have been keeping tame Goats since about 6000 to 7000 BC. Early History says that explorers kept Goats on ships to provide Milk and meat on long Voyages. Goat Keeping is followed in arid and semi-arid regions where rainfall is less and uncertain and hence incomes from Crop Production are low and also uncertain. The goat keeping is mainly carried out as subsidiary activity (enterprise) to supplement incomes from crops.

Goat keeping is an almost fully free-range type i.e. allowing goat to graze in open fields and wastelands. In addition, they are also fed some by-products of crops, which otherwise go waste. There are nearly 102 breeds of goats in the world, of which 20 breeds are in India. Goats are reared for two purposes i.e. meat & milk. Meat and Milk production is the main objective.

sojat is one of the largest goats in India; it has been extensively utilized to upgrade indigenous breeds for meat and milk, and has been taken to neighboring countries for the same purpose.