GOATS FOLLOW HUMAN VOICE TO FIND FOOD, STUDY SHOWS

Researchers at the University of Zürich have demonstrated that goats can locate food by following the direction of a human voice. In experiments involving 29 goats, each undergoing 12 trials, animals moved towards a treat-filled bucket 60% of the time when a researcher made excited sounds in its direction. The goats performed at chance levels—47% and 49% success rates respectively—when the researcher remained silent or spoke whilst facing away from the buckets. The findings appear in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

The study placed two buckets on either side of a wooden screen, with uncooked pasta hidden in one container. Researchers first familiarised the goats with the setup by repeatedly calling them by name whilst visibly placing food in one bucket. During tests, a concealed researcher either spoke excitedly towards the baited container, remained silent, or spoke with their back to both buckets. The results suggest goats can follow an unseen human's voice without prior training, a cognitive ability previously documented in dogs but not in chimpanzees.

Dr Stuart Watson, first author of the study, stated the findings may illuminate the cognitive changes enabling species to become compatible with human living. The ability to follow human vocal cues could carry implications for animal welfare. Researchers suggest the skill may be linked to domestication, since goats represent one of humanity's oldest domesticated species. Prof Simon Townsend, senior author, described the ability as "a vocal form of pointing."