The difference between a Sheep and a Goat
While both hail from the subfamily Caprinae, sheep and goats diverge at the genus level and arrive as distinct species. Sheep (
Ovis aries) have 54 chromosomes; goats (
Capra aegagrus hircus) have 60. Sheep–goat hybrids – yes, a geep or shoat – do exist, but they are rare.
A main difference between the two is how they forage.
Sheep are grazers; they ramble slowly eating short plants close to the ground. Goats are browsers; they look for leaves, twigs, vines, and shrubs. And their agility allows them to
attain charming positions in pursuit of their forage.
“
Because they browse, goats spend a lot of time investigating things. They are forever nibbling on and eating things,” Cathy Dwyer, a professor at Scotland's Rural College, tells
NPR. “So they have more exploratory, investigate behavior because of their feeding style. They appear to be more
interactive with the environment, and they are
very engaging animals.”
Because of a goat’s natural curiosity and independence, they can tend to get into more trouble than sheep. Sheep are, yes, sheepish. They have a very strong flocking instinct and become agitated when separated from their posse.
Some goats have
beards, sheep don’t. But some sheep have manes. Sheep have an upper lip that is divided by a distinct philtrum, goats don’t.
Most goats have horns (especilly big horns), many sheep, but not all, are naturally without horns.