Being one of the most successful games of all time, Minecraft continues to receive updates despite being released more than a decade ago. Minecraft's highly anticipated Caves & Cliffs update adds new underground biomes, several new creatures, and a variety of new items blocks. This update will be split into two distinct parts.
Alongside creatures like axolotls and glowing squids, one of the Caves & Cliffs update’s new creatures is goats. Covered in white fur and known to reside at high elevations, these creatures add a dash of diversity to the game’s overworld. Players can tame, breed, and milk goats but will not get any new resources for killing one. Here's everything to know about Goats in Minecraft.
Where to Find Goats in Minecraft
Goats in Minecraft are outdoor creatures that appreciate high elevation. Players are likely to find them in mountain biomes, which are often defined by steep cliffs and tall hills. Much like cows or sheep, they tend to wander around without disturbing the player. They are neutral mobs by nature, and when attacked, they will desperately try to run away. However, there are times they aren’t as passive as they initially appear to be.
Whether due to mischievousness or a hidden bout of malicious intent, Goats will sometimes ram into the player without warning. This ramming will push the player several blocks away, and if the player happens to be near a steep cliff, they may fall off. Most of the time, a Goat ramming the player only results in minor damage and inconvenience.
Goats are capable of jumping as high as 10 blocks and can easily jump atop steep cliffs and traverse holes to get where they want to go. With their reduced fall damage, Goats are more than capable of moving through the mountain biome. If players want to keep Goats in a pen at their home, they will either need to build exceptionally tall walls or a roof to keep them from escaping.
There is also a special rare variety of Goat in the game that tends to be louder than the rest. Aptly referred to as "screaming" Goats, these creatures are known to bleat far more often than their peers. They are also noted to be more aggressive and are more likely to ram the player than regular Goats.
What Goats Are Used For in Minecraft
In terms of utility, Goats are very similar to Cows. When the player has wheat in their hand, Goats will follow. Similar to breeding horses in Minecraft, when this wheat is fed to two adult individuals, this will trigger their love mode and allow them to produce a baby goat. When the player uses a bucket with a Goat, the Goat can give milk. A lead can also be used on them if players want to move their herd elsewhere.
The main difference between Cows and Goats is what they drop upon death. A Cow will drop raw beef and leather. A slain Goat, on the other hand, will drop nothing. This may change in a later update, but for now, players should know that killing Goats brings no tangible benefit.
The second portion of the Minecraft Caves and Cliffs update is expected to add Goat horns, which will drop when the Goat attempts to ram the player and hits a solid block instead. This is a relatively rare occurrence, however, as Goats generally ignore the player. But when a Goat attempts to ram, all players have to do is dodge so the Goat hits something else. These Goat horns are noted to emit a sound when used, which is similar to the sound that triggers a raid. Other than being a novelty of sound, there is currently no information on if the Goat horns will have any other use.
With the current Minecraft update 1.17 release, the most notable thing players can do with a Goat is earning an achievement. Players can earn the "Whatever Floats Your Goat" achievement by entering a boat that has a Goat in it. This can be done easily enough by either using a lead or wheat to get the Goat close to the player's boat.
Minecraft can be played on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, and PC.