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1) Fainting goats are also known as nervous, stiff-legged, wooden legged, tennesee mountian, myotonic, scare, etc.
Left: Paco stiffened up.
2) Distinguishing characteristics are pop eyes, long and wide muzzle (not dished), long ears that stand put to the side, not erect, Many kids are born with ears hanging down but they gradually come up before too long.
Amber fainted but, got stuck in the fence & couldn't fall all of the way; she is still stiff afterwards but, okay.
3) As strange as this may sound, these little critters have actually served an historical purpose. Shepherds often kept the goats in with their flocks as insurance in case of predator attacks. The theory went something like this- as wolves would come down from the hills to attack a flock of sheep, the goats would become startled and, as per the name of their breed, they would faint. The sheep would make a clean getaway, as the wolves would focus on the stunned goats rather than pursue the fleeing sheep. Not that wonderful if you were one of the goats, sure, but downright dandy if you happened to be a sheep.
Czerena has fainted, but not completely because the fence is helping her stand up instead of falling on her back.
Moses is stiffened up here, but he usually faints easily.
4) The breed's recorded history reaches back to the 1880's, when a migrant worker named John Tinsley brought four of them to Tennessee. Not much is known about Tinsley, though he is reported to have come from Nova Scotia. The breed soon became popular throughout the region, thanks to three major factors: 1) they were less prone to climbing (and therefore escape), 2) they had a higher degree of muscularity than their non-fainting relatives (and thus would make a better dinner), and 3) high reproductive rates (typically two or more to a litter).
Zepher is definitely a premium fainter! A few seconds later and he is just fine.
5) Myotonia is the condition which causes Fainting Goats to lock up and/or fall over when startled. This condition is caused by a combination of recessive genes. The goats are affected in this manner; when startled in any way they fall to the ground with their entire bodies becoming perfectly rigid and stiff. This condition lasts for about ten or fifteen seconds after which the animal arises and walks off, still showing a decided stiffness especially in the back limbs. After a little distance and time the goat walks and acts just like any other goat. When approached visibly and quietly they likely will not fall over but will show a stiffness in their hind legs as they begin to move away. This does not decrease the normal goat life span.
6) Whether food or friend, fainting goats don't seem to be going away anytime soon. Numbering an estimated 3,000 to 5,000, the animals are rare, but still recognized as an official breed and are raised throughout the United States.
Poor Czerena fainted again! She actually fell over this time and let out a cry that sounded something like: "MAAAAAA!"
7) Fainting goats can be registered with the International Fainting Goat Association (IFGA), the Myotonic Goat Registry (MGR), or the Miniature Fainting Goat Association (MFGA). Registration varies but, is usually divided into two categories--Premium: faints easily and Regular: stiffens up, but doesn't fall.
8) All colors, combinations, patterns, and markings seem to exist. Hair coats can vary from short to long (silky), with many animals producing a noticable cashmere coat in the winter. A few examples of different coat variations are shown below.
Moses has a cashmere coat during the winter, like all of our goats, and sheds his coat for the summer; what a beautiful boy he is now!
Left: Paco and Right: Magnolia are twins; both have the silky coat but, boys tend to have more hair on their necks and a funky hairdo in the front, like Paco!
Left: Flicka shows off her cashmere winter coat as she rears up from being spooked by an umbrella. Left: Kissmet, daughter to Magnolia, also has the beginings of a silky coat even as young as a year old.
9) Fainting goats are easy to raise, require minimum facilities, are safe around people, and are unique enough to be conversation pieces. They are profitable to raise, fit small farmettes, and make you happy to be around.
Our small farmette consists of three pastures for our two horses, one guard llama, and about ten fainting goats and their kids.
Rosie, Delia, and Magnolia are just a few of our does.
10) Myotonic breeders have developed sturdy, colorful fainting goats of every sort and size. As a result, there are Myotonic goats for every taste and purpose—probably even yours.
