Goaty McGoatface the rare Bagot goat is the newest addition at Sandwell Counci’s Forge Mill Farm in West Bromwich.
The six week old kid, who will be known as Goaty, was named by members of the public who suggested their favourite names on Facebook. Goaty was born in August to the farm’s oldest Bagot goat, Ivy, who is 15.
The council is supporting a scheme run by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust to breed the rare goats as there are fewer than 200 registered breeding females left.
Goaty will become part of the farm’s breeding stock, increasing the number of these rare animals for years to come.
Councillor Richard Marshall, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for leisure, said: "Goaty is very cute – and a very important little goat.
“We wanted the public to be involved in naming him. Someone suggested Goaty McGoatface, people thought it was funny and then a few more suggested it. We thought it suited him so we went with it.”
The Bagot is believed to be Britain’s oldest breed of goat with records of them being around in 1389 at Blithfield, the Staffordshire home of Sir John Bagot.
The exact origin of the Bagot goat is unknown - one theory is they were brought to Britain during the Crusades in the Middle Ages, while others believe they originated from native goats in medieval times.
