6 of the First Domesticated Animals

Humans have long used animals to make their lives a little easier. Since the time of the hunter-gatherers, men taught animals to help them with work, as well as guard and protect them and their food. Below are the first few animals that we had domesticated over the past thousands of years.

Dogs

Dogs have stayed by our side for more than 10,000 years. They stared out like wolves, wild and free, but humans started to befriend them and domesticated them. Archaeologist can set domesticated canines apart from wild wolves though certain features, like smaller teeth and "Sagittal crest". Different dig sites across the world confirmed that canine domestication is a worldwide phenomenon

Cows

There are a number of wild cattle that were domesticated in different places and times. thetaurine, which is the most common early domesticated cattle, is said to have been domesticated around 8,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent. They are also the most common domesticated cattle used in trading. The zebu, which originated in the area around Pakistan, was domesticated 7,000 years ago. While the capeletti, which was common in the African and Egyptian areas, were used by humans as early as 9,000 years ago.

Goats and Sheep

We can’t forget the other common heard animals. Humans are said to have herded goats and sheep in about the same time as they domesticated dogs. Goats and sheep are mainly used as livestock, for food, milk, fur and their skin. Sheep are more common in colder areas since people needed their wool to create fabrics. 

Horses

The strongest animal that humans have ever domesticated, horses are used in agriculture, trade, constructions of empires, and even to war. These huge beasts have definitely made our lives much easier, especially when it comes to listing heavy load. There are still a few wild horses in certain parts of the world. However some wild horses are actually feral horses like the mustangs in the United States and the brumby in Australia.

Cats

Cats became our companions at around 7000 years ago when we started to grow our own food instead of gathering or hunting. As humans stored and collected grain, cats became very useful to help keep mice away. The ancient Egyptians are said to be the first people who domesticated these animals, not just to help them keep the mice away, but for religious and cultural purposes as well. they worshiped a cat-goddess and treated their cats will the highest respect. They even mummified them when they passed away.

Snails

This might sound shocking, but snails are actually one of the first animals we domesticated. Our ancestors kept them mainly for food since snails are packed with nutrients and they’re easy to take care of. Many Paleolithic digs have also found large numbers of snail shells, taking their domestication back to earlier than 12,000 years ago. Since they’re very close to containing all the nutrients we need, they’re also very famous with traders, pilgrims and even those who went in campaigns.

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Top 10 Cute And Funny Animals

A very cute and funny video about animals. Watch the full video and you'll be rolling on the floor laughing

Video

Youtube | kleon bardhi

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That goat may be a whole lot smarter than it looks

"That's the common public impression, that goats and most other farm animals are not very intelligent," says Elodie Briefer, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Zurich.

In a recent study, she and her colleagues found that behind that dazed look is a pretty smart brain, too.

It turns out that goats haven't really been studied for their cognitive skills, at least not in the same way that chimps have.

"By working with them, we realized that they are actually very curious animals," Briefer says. "Most people who own goats, they know that they can open locks and escape from any pen."

The goats involved in the study were already domesticated. They were put through a series of tests over the span of several months to measure their thinking abilities.

What they designed was essentially an obstacle course to get food out of a box. Briefer and her team timed the goats to see how fast they could get their grub.

"After these really long intervals, they could solve the task within two minutes, which was quite surprising for us," she says.

Even though the research focused on obtaining food, a goat's intelligence isn't limited to that. In fact, a goat's intelligence is one of the reasons the animal can survive pretty much anywhere, contributing to the resilience of the species.

"They can manipulate objects easily, they can learn complex tasks, and they can remember them," Briefer says.

Source: Here

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Goats are apparently smarter than anyone thought

Researchers found that goats can learn to solve complicated tasks quickly and can remember the solutions they’ve learned for 10 months or more.
The State Column, Justin Beach | March 26, 2014

Science is having to constantly reevaluate how we look at animal intelligence. Recent evidence has shown that crows, pigs and dogs, for example, are even more intelligent than previously believed.

Most recently, researchers at Queen Mary University of London have found that goats can learn to solve complicated tasks quickly and can remember the solutions they’ve learned for 10 months or more. Scientists believe that this may explain the animal’s ability to adapt to harsh environments.

Source: Here

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Goats Playing a Steel Ribbon

These goats are loving life.

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The Pygmy Goat Makes an Interesting Pet

Traditionally, goats are farm animals but they also make good and interesting pets. Some people tend to prefer a goat as a pet instead of a dog or cat, depending on how they want a pet to be. There is a wide variety of goat breeds available but the most sought-after as pet is the one that is the friendliest and the smallest, the dwarf breed….introducing: the Pygmy Goat.

How do you intend the Pygmy goat to be as a pet? Are you expecting it to guard the house from strangers and intruders? Well, you cannot train a pygmy goat to serve as a watch-goat. Are you looking for a pet that you can cuddle and sleep with? A dog or a cat can be your companion on bed at night but not a pygmy goat. It can still be a great and wonderful pet to have given some requirements and limitations.

Because of its small size, its stature is hardy, robust and compact with thick and wooly undercoat making them more adaptable to any kind of climate. In fact, a pygmy goat could be able to reproduce in-season and out-of-season if you care enough to have a house filled with all those pygmies.

A Pygmy goat is a small breed of goat that is extremely sociable, playful and intelligent. They are the ones that are seen being petted on zoos, their amiable character defines them. Their miniature size is not limited to the energy and agility it shows, making them active and never-restful, always seen on – the-go, as if driven by something. Since this goat type is not used for the main purpose of getting meat or milk as compared to the other breeds in the farm, they serve as remarkable pets for people who want something different than a dog but can still behave like one. They love being handled, petted, treated lovingly and also longs to follow around the house when permitted.

Before you decide on getting a Pygmy goat as pet, learn what to do and know what to expect. As much as they can be affectionate and docile, sometimes their oozing energies cause them to be very curious and inquisitive, often times sticking their horns at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

Pygmy goats despite their being domesticated are still considered herd animals and they cannot survive alone. They need a mate (one partner will do) and if possible, more of its kind to create an atmosphere of where it is designed to thrive successfully. A reasonable amount of space is needed with all the shed, beddings made of straw or shedding all depending on the number of pygmies you have or planning to have. Living in the city may pose some space limitations and certain laws of your area, so better comply with these entire first, before making things happen for a pet Pygmy goat.

Pygmy Goat Video

 

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