Of goats and men

With tongue firmly in cheek, we take a look at health-related matters between man and goat.

IT’s the Lunar Year of the Goat, so we would be remiss if we didn’t delve into what goats and man have in common when it comes to anything related to health.

But first, the terminology. Is it goat, sheep, ram, ewe or lamb? For all intents and purposes, we’ll take goat for this article and leave it at that.

The goat has long played a prominent role in human mythology.

In the Chinese zodiac, it’s almost impossible to determine precisely how or why the current 12 animals were picked for the calender. Suffice to say, the cycle begins with the rat, while the goat is placed eighth.

Those born in the year of the goat are said to be gentle and mild-mannered. They tend to be shy, kind-hearted, compassionate, and are reputed to be quite charming. They also tend to be rather creative.

On the flip side, goats can be pessimistic and indecisive; they need to feel loved and protected.

Overall, such traits suggest a less-stressful lifestyle and mindset, so perhaps less incidence of hypertension and heart problems?

In Western mythology, descriptions of half human–half goat (with the head to the waist being human) entities are aplenty.

Ancient Roman mythological belief includes a god named Faunus and a goddess named Fauna.

Then there’s the Greek equivalent of Faunas, Pan. He is connected to fertility and the season of spring, as well as theatrical criticism.

Amongst other things, Pan is associated with sexual prowess. This may explain the expression, “horny old goat”… or not.

But let’s get back to the real world, and how goats and man are connected.

Goat meat (mutton)

It is often quoted that goat meat comprises 63% of all red meat consumed worldwide.

Obviously, consumption patterns will depend on cultural backgrounds, and in some communities, socioeconomic status.

Goat meat is lower in calories, total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol compared to other ‘traditional’ red meats. Photo: Filepic

Its general nutrient composition is lower in calories, total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol compared to “traditional” meats.

It has higher levels of iron, and also, higher potassium content and lower sodium levels.

So, for lovers of red meat, goat meat might be the healthier choice, with its lower total fat content.

Goat milk

It is believed by many that goat milk has health properties that could help prevent certain diseases, such as anaemia, and also help prevent bone demineralization.

In fact, research from the University of Granada in Spain (2007) revealed that goat milk has more beneficial properties than cow milk.

The study was published in the International Dairy Journal and Journal Dairy Science.

One common method of preparation of the placenta before consumption is to steam, dehydrate and ground it into pill form. Photo: AFP

Placentophagy (eating placenta)

This term refers to the eating of placenta after childbirth.

This practice is commonly observed in many mammals, and goats do eat their kids’ placenta after giving birth.

In recent times, placentophagy has been adopted by some women who believe that such a practice can bring health benefits. One common method of preparation before consumption is to steam, dehydrate and ground the placenta into pill form.

This belief comes from the fact that the placenta is responsible for the production of a number of hormones during pregnancy. Some animal research has suggested that the placenta may retain some of these substances after it is delivered.

However, the hormonal and nutritional content of human placenta, especially in dehydrated and encapsulated form, has not been established.

And there has been no study to show that such a practice does result in health benefits.

Goats and human disease

The term for describing the transmission of diseases from animals to humans is zoonosis.

Q fever is caused by a bacterium called Coxiella burnetti, and the bacteria is shed in milk, faeces and urine of infected animals.

In humans, Q fever is characterised by fever, malaise and headache. Occasionally, pneumonia and hepatitis may occur. The illness may last from two to four weeks, and most gain immunity to reinfection.

Anthrax is a serious disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Humans can become infected by handling products from infected animals or by breathing in anthrax spores from infected animal products.

Anthrax can be treated if detected early by antibiotic therapy.

Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that is commonly transmitted through abrasions of the skin from handling infected mammals. Symptoms may include flu-like symptoms, fever, sweats, headaches, back pains and physical weakness.

Rabies is a potentially fatal disease of people and other mammals caused by a virus. We usually associate rabies with dog bites, but yes, we can get it from goats too.

Horny goat weed

Okay, this is an herb, and nothing to do with the goat, but what the heck, we already said all things goat and man, no matter how tenuous.

The herb’s botanical name is Epimedium sagittatum.

We do not know the origins of the name, but presumably, some observant fella probably noticed that goats munching on it got a tad amorous after that.

Suffice to say, the herb has been used as a traditional remedy in China for centuries. It is usually used by those with low libido, erectile dysfunction and fatigue.

It has also been used for osteoporosis.

Scientifically, there’s no hard evidence backing the effects of horny goat weed.

So there we have it, a very cursory look at the health connections between goat and man. Here’s to a happy and healthy lunar new year to all readers who’re celebrating the occasion.

Of goats and men