The animal known as a “kid” is the domestic goat, Capra aegagrus hircus. This term is used to describe a goat of either sex until it reaches maturity. The usage of “kid” is rooted in agricultural and zoological terminology. While the word is colloquially used for a human child, its original definition refers exclusively to the young of the goat species.
The Domestic Goat
Gestation for a female goat, known as a doe, averages about 150 days, and the birthing process is termed “kidding.” Newborn kids are precocial, meaning they are mature and mobile immediately after birth. A healthy kid is typically capable of standing up and seeking the udder to suckle within the first half-hour following delivery.
The size of a newborn kid varies by breed, but most domestic goat kids weigh between 5 and 10 pounds (2.3 to 4.5 kg) at birth. Breeds like the Nubian often see newborns in the 7-to-9-pound range. This rapid mobility is a survival mechanism, allowing the young to quickly follow their mother and avoid predators in natural settings.
Kids are initially dependent on the mother’s milk, specifically the antibody-rich colostrum, for the first few days. They begin to experiment with solid forage like hay or grass around three to four weeks of age. Weaning, the process of separating the kid from its mother’s milk, typically occurs between 8 and 12 weeks. Young males are then called bucklings, and young females are called doelings.
Species That Share the Name
The term “kid” is correctly applied to the young of the wild relatives of the domestic goat, all belonging to the genus Capra. This includes species such as the ibex, the markhor, and the wild goat. The young of these wild caprids are agile and must be able to move with their herds soon after birth to survive in rugged, mountainous terrain.
The usage of the term does not extend formally to non-caprid species in English, although confusion sometimes arises. For example, the young of deer and pronghorn are correctly called fawns, and the young of small carnivores like foxes and ferrets are called kits. The application of “kid” to species outside the Capra genus is generally considered a colloquial error or an informal generalization.
Etymology of the Word “Kid”
The word “kid” has a history directly linking it to the young goat. The term originated from the Old Norse word kið, meaning “young goat.” This word was adopted into Middle English as kidde, retaining its original zoological meaning.
The linguistic shift to describe a human child happened much later, first appearing in English as slang during the 16th century. It is believed the word was applied to children due to the perceived similarities in behavior, such as being playful, energetic, and sometimes mischievous. The use of “kid” to mean child was established in informal conversation by the mid-19th century.