User:Williamxaviertanner/Draft
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Goat evolution is the process by which modern domestic goats came to exist through evolution by natural election. Goats are part of the family Bovidae, a group which began to diverge from Deer and Giraffids during the early Miocene epoch[1], making Goats closely related to Cows and Sheep. The subfamily Caprinae, which includes Goats, Ibex and Sheep, are considered to have diverged from the other Bovidae as early as the late Miocene[2], with the group reaching its greatest diversity in the ice ages. The tribe Caprini would subsequently develop from Caprids who arrived in the mountainous areas of Eurasia and split into Goats and Sheep in response to a further geographic separation. This divergence resulted in the adaption of the ancestors of Goats to a mountainous environment, producing many of the traits considered peculiar about the species. During the ice ages a genus called Capri evolved which would then diverge into the modern goat species along with several species of Ibex. Modern goats were one of the first species domesticated by modern humans, with the date of domestication generally considered to be 8,000 BCE[3]. It is commonly held that the earliest domestication was of the bezoar ibex in the Zagros Mountains[4]. These earliest domesticated Goats were used to produce meat and milk for neolithic farmers[5], along with providing many of the materials required to built residences and tools. Following the domestication of goats over 300 breeds have been established for a variety of purposes[5], including for the maximisation of milk production and for meat.
![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Billy_goat.jpg/640px-Billy_goat.jpg)