Goats are highly social animals that naturally gather together. Like many species, they have several specific collective nouns used to describe their various groupings. The most common terms reflect the history of animal husbandry and the nature of the goat itself.
Collective Nouns and Their Origins
The most common collective noun for a group of goats is a “herd.” This generalized term is used for many types of grazing livestock, such as cattle and deer, and is often applied to large groups of goats on a farm. Beyond “herd,” two other specific names are recognized: a “tribe” and a “trip.”
The term “tribe” describes a community of goats living together, often in a specific area like a hillside. The most distinctive collective noun is a “trip.” This word is believed to originate from the Middle Dutch word trippen, meaning to skip or step lightly. This etymology captures the lively, bounding movement goats exhibit, especially when navigating rocky terrain. While “trip” is an older, archaic term, some consider it the proper technical name for a group.
Social Structure and Group Behavior
Goats form collective groups primarily for safety and organization. They operate within a defined social hierarchy, commonly called a pecking order, which maintains stability. Dominance is established through behaviors like head-butting and is influenced by age, size, and horn presence.
The group is typically led by a dominant female, sometimes called the “Flock Queen.” This matriarchal structure ensures the group benefits from the most experienced member’s knowledge of grazing areas. Forming a cohesive unit provides protection from predators through safety in numbers and coordinated vigilance. Groups are dynamic, often exhibiting fission-fusion behavior where they split into smaller units to forage before merging back together.
Terminology for Individual Goats
It is helpful to know the specific terms for individual goats. A mature female is referred to as a doe or, more traditionally, a nanny. An intact adult male is known as a buck or a billy, with these terms often used interchangeably.
The offspring are called kids, which is the source of the phrase “kidding” for the act of giving birth. Young males are known as bucklings, and young females are called doelings, until they reach maturity. A castrated male goat, incapable of breeding, is named a wether.