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No kidding! Goats prefer to interact with humans who look happy
www.irishnews.com ^ | 29 August, 2018 00:16

Posted on 08/29/2018 6:54:19 AM PDT by Red Badger

Goats recognise and are attracted to happy humans, a study has found.

Much like us, they seem to be drawn to smiling faces. But don’t expect to make friends with a goat if you scowl at it.

Scientists showed 20 goats unfamiliar photos of the same human face looking happy or angry.

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The research, conducted at Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats in Kent, demonstrated that the goats preferred to interact with the smiling face.

Released from a distance of four metres (13ft) they generally made straight for the happy image, exploring it curiously with their snouts.

This suggested that goats use the left hemisphere of their brains to process positive emotion, said the team from Queen Mary, University of London.

Dr Alan McElligott, who led the research, said: “The study has important implications for how we interact with livestock and other species, because the abilities of animals to perceive human emotions might be widespread and not just limited to pets.”

Goats were already known to be sensitive to human body language, but the new findings show they also respond to emotional facial expressions.

Co-author Dr Christian Nawroth, a member of the Queen Mary team now based at the Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology in Germany, said: “Here we show for the first time that goats do not only distinguish between these expressions, but they also prefer to interact with happy ones.”

A goat facing images of positive and negative expressions (Queen Mary University/PA)

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Other studies have shown that dogs and horses also appear to recognise and remember human facial expressions displaying emotion.

Sheep are known to possess a powerful visual memory and an ability to recognise human faces from photographs.

Writing in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the researchers concluded: “These findings suggest that the ability of animals to perceive human facial cues is not limited to those with a long history of domestication as companions, and therefore may be far more widespread than previously believed.”

Dr Alan Mcelligott conducted the research at Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats in Kent (Queen Mary University/PA)


TOPICS: Agriculture; Health/Medicine; Outdoors; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: animals; farm; goats; pet
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1 posted on 08/29/2018 6:54:19 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Farm Ping!..................


2 posted on 08/29/2018 6:55:01 AM PDT by Red Badger (July 2018 - the month the world learns the TRUTH......Q Anon.......Timelines change. Aug 16)
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To: Red Badger

Even lady goats reject miserable muzzies.


3 posted on 08/29/2018 6:56:53 AM PDT by miss marmelstein
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To: Red Badger

thanks.
enjoy the Farm Ping
add me to your ping list
ptsal


4 posted on 08/29/2018 6:57:03 AM PDT by ptsal
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To: Red Badger

Was this a NASA-funded study to benefit Muslims?


5 posted on 08/29/2018 6:57:14 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (The MSM is in the business of creating a fake version of reality for political reasons.)
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To: Red Badger

thanks.
enjoy the Farm Ping
add me to your ping list
ptsal


6 posted on 08/29/2018 6:57:23 AM PDT by ptsal
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To: Red Badger

7 posted on 08/29/2018 6:57:30 AM PDT by mountn man (The Pleasure You Get From Life, Is Equal To The Attitude You Put Into It)
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To: ptsal; Diana in Wisconsin

...........


8 posted on 08/29/2018 6:57:54 AM PDT by Red Badger (July 2018 - the month the world learns the TRUTH......Q Anon.......Timelines change. Aug 16)
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To: Red Badger

Aww, they’re cute. :D


9 posted on 08/29/2018 6:58:24 AM PDT by EdnaMode
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To: mountn man

Well at least he cared enough to have it wear a helmet..............


10 posted on 08/29/2018 6:58:39 AM PDT by Red Badger (July 2018 - the month the world learns the TRUTH......Q Anon.......Timelines change. Aug 16)
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To: EdnaMode

Have you seen Pygmy Goats?.....................


11 posted on 08/29/2018 6:59:26 AM PDT by Red Badger (July 2018 - the month the world learns the TRUTH......Q Anon.......Timelines change. Aug 16)
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To: Red Badger

That first picture should be: “Muslim’s First Date”.


12 posted on 08/29/2018 6:59:43 AM PDT by Alas Babylon! (MAGAMarchOnWashington.com)
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To: Red Badger

I don’t think so.


13 posted on 08/29/2018 7:00:56 AM PDT by EdnaMode
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To: Red Badger

I had to milk goats as a kid. Smelly, vile, evil creatures! Devil Eyes! ;)


14 posted on 08/29/2018 7:01:37 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Red Badger

Goats to the left and sheep to the right.


15 posted on 08/29/2018 7:02:42 AM PDT by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

A Feta accompli...................


16 posted on 08/29/2018 7:03:19 AM PDT by Red Badger (July 2018 - the month the world learns the TRUTH......Q Anon.......Timelines change. Aug 16)
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To: Red Badger

Just have to smile at them. Don’t even have to buy them a drink first.


17 posted on 08/29/2018 7:04:18 AM PDT by Lurkina.n.Learnin (Wisdom and education are different things. Don't confuse them.)
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To: EdnaMode

https://www.google.com/search?q=pygmy+goats&client=firefox-b-1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwih5InatpLdAhVNAqwKHa76CvAQ_AUICigB&biw=1582&bih=726


18 posted on 08/29/2018 7:04:19 AM PDT by Red Badger (July 2018 - the month the world learns the TRUTH......Q Anon.......Timelines change. Aug 16)
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To: Lurkina.n.Learnin

Or dinner..................


19 posted on 08/29/2018 7:05:05 AM PDT by Red Badger (July 2018 - the month the world learns the TRUTH......Q Anon.......Timelines change. Aug 16)
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To: Red Badger

20 posted on 08/29/2018 7:07:52 AM PDT by Opinionated Blowhard (When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.)
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