Thinking about keeping a goat on your homestead or hobby farm? Wondering how long do goats live, or how they can live longer?
In this article, we’re going to discuss how long a healthy goat usually lives, as well as the many factors that can and do contribute to a long and healthy life for these horned little farm animals that we all love.
A goat’s lifespan depends on many factors such as type of goat, diet, hygiene, shelter from weather and predators, and happiness. Most healthy domestic goats live 7 to 15 years. A few goats have made it to 20 years and more.
Read on to learn more about the factors that affect How Long A Goat Lives!
Goats are a staple of many green pastures. Whether they are out in the wild, or kept and raised on our homestead farms, goats are an incredibly adaptable species that can live in many climates and habitats.
Goats are some of the hardiest animals that we as humans have domesticated. With over 900 million goats being found all over the world.
Goals are a multi-purpose animal and were some of the first animals to be domesticated by man. Here are some of the beneficial “jobs” that goats have done throughout recorded history:
- Goats As Pack Animals – Pack goats carry cargo and trade goods. Pack goats also help indigenous people move their homes and home goods from one seasonal area to another as the people migrate within their region to take advantage of seasonal food and seasonal hunting grounds.
- Goats Provide Milk – Milk goats provide nutritious milk. Grass, browse, water and sunlight are turned into delicious milk… truly a miracle. Goats milk is also used to make various kinds of cheese that keep longer than milk.
- Goats Provide Meat – Meat goats provide nutritious meat for families. Grass, browse, water and sunlight are turned into delicious meat.
- Goats Provide Hair and Hides – Some goat hair (Mohair) fibers are used to make clothes and goat hides have helped clothed people for thousands of years.
- Goats Clear Land – in addition to grass, goats eat saplings and briars of all kinds. Goats can help clear a pasture and keep it clear. Additionally goats can help clear trails and keep the trails clear.
- Goat Manure – Goat manure helps replenish the soil. You can also use goat manure in your gardens.

As long as there is food, water, and other goats to be with, goats seem to thrive just about anywhere!
Goats are also intelligent and “socialize” easily with humans. They love to be scratched, petted and cared for by their owners.
All of these factors make goats a favorite for homesteaders and Hobby Farmers.
However, just because this plucky little farmyard staple is a hardy creature, doesn’t mean that there aren’t many things that you have to take into account when raising them and looking after them yourself.
Like with almost any animal, they require a lot of care and attention to thrive under your leadership and on your farm. This means that there’s plenty of information to keep track of when looking after and choosing a goat of your own. All very important to your goat’s lifespan.
The Lifespan Of A Goat
Generally speaking, goats tend to live a similar amount of time to many other domesticated animals.
The average lifespan of a goat, according to Live-Science, usually ranges from 7 years up to 15, although the average lifespan will depend on the breed of goat that you choose and the particular living conditions for the goat.
That isn’t to say that there aren’t examples of goats living much longer than this. However, as is the case with many animals, having the right food, water, and living conditions can also help boost your goat’s life.
Examples of goats living well into their 20s are not uncommon, and the record for the oldest goat is over 20 years old!
The Life Cycle Of A Goat
A goat’s life can generally be separated into three stages: Newborn, Kid, and Adult
Overview of Newborn Goats
Like many other herbivores and prey animals, goats usually need to be able to stand from pretty much the moment they are born, to avoid predators that would naturally hunt them in the wild.
Fortunately, your homestead (probably) doesn’t present as much danger to a newborn goat, as is found in the wild. Generally speaking, a newborn goat should still be up and nursing within a day of being born.
Newborn goats, despite being able to move around from a very young age, will still be dependent on their mother for milk and protection for the first few weeks of their life.
Infant/Kid Goats
This part of a young goat’s life, also known as kids, usually starts around when they are 3 to 4 months old. At this point, they no longer rely on their mother’s milk and have transitioned to eating solid grasses, plants, and feeds.
Kid goats are also very energetic and love to run around their mothers and across fields. They are also very curious at this age, in a very similar way to kittens and puppies. They are still exploring the world and can be easily startled by new things that they interact with.
Adult Goats
This is the longest period of a goat’s life. Goats reach sexual maturity at about 10 months and the rest of their lives they are considered to be adults.

Maintaining Your Goat’s Health
Here are some considerations for keeping your goat healthy and providing them with a pathway to a longer and happier life.
Food And Water For Goats On The Homestead
As is the case with all animals, domestic or wild, the right diet will help improve your goat’s quality of life immensely.
Alongside plenty of clean fresh water, hay should make up a good portion of your goat’s diet, around half of your goat’s total feed.
These dried grasses provide a great amount of nutrition and fiber to your goat’s diet, making digesting the rest of their food much easier.
They should also be able to eat from the pastures that they are roaming and living on. If you manage their grazing, they will improve the quality of your pastures by eating many weeds and keep your pastures from becoming overgrown. They’re an excellent natural lawnmower!
You can also supplement your goat’s diet with some extra grains to make sure that they are getting the correct amount of nutrition.
This shouldn’t make up the majority of their diet, however, as these animals naturally prefer to eat grasses and small plants, rather than wheat and bean grains.
Shelter for Goats On The Homestead
Alongside the right food, having the right space and habitat to live in will do wonders for your goat’s life expectancy.
As we’ve already mentioned, green pastures are the perfect place to let your goats graze and live freely as they would as wild animals.
Being social herd animals, it is best to keep at least 2 goats. Goats are herd animals and are happier and healthier with a friend or two. If you want a goat, then we strongly recommend keeping at least two goats.
Like cattle and rabbits, goats can withstand some very cold temperatures as long as they are not wet and they are out of the wind.
It is best to ensure that your goats also have easy access to a cozy shelter to keep them dry and out of the wind. Shielding your goats from harsh weather conditions is a key element to your goats leading a healthier and happier life.
Here is a great video from Arms Family Homestead about Deadly Mistakes With Your Goat
Frequently Asked Questions about How Long Do Goats Live?
How Long Do Pygmy Goats Live?
Healthy American Pygmy Goats have an average lifespan of about 12 years.
Do Goats Shed Their Horns?
No, Mountain Goats do not shed their horns. You can tell the age of a Mountain Goat by counting the number of annual growth rings on its horns.
Final Thoughts On How Long Do Goats Live?
The average domestic, healthy goat lives between 7 and 15 years. How long your goats live depends on many factors such as:
- Breed
- Diet
- Hygiene
- Shelter
- Predator control
- Happiness of the herd
As you can see, goats need a fair amount of thought and care put into them to help them live a long and happy life.