Fainting Goats
The FUN model of the goat
These are not your typical goat!
Not just because they stiffen up and sometimes toppler over when they are startle or scared. They don't jump fences or climb on your new truck.
They are a JOY to own. We would like to see these Fainting Goats preserved as a true breed for others to enjoy.
From the:
International Fainting Goat Association brochure:
“This is the fun model of the Goat World”
Fainting Goats are known by several different names such as Wooden Legged. Stiff-Legged, Nervous Goats and Myotonic Goats. Fainting goats can be traced to the early 1880’s when a man appeared in Marshall County, Tennessee with three does and a buck that each displayed the motonia that is characteristic of the breed. His accent and his clothes suggested that he came from Nova Scotia, but he was
not talkative so his origin and the source of the four goats has remained a mystery. He sold his goats to Dr. H.H. Mayberry, who fortunately propagated them and tried his best to research their origin. He could find no evidence of a similar breed anywhere else in the world. He was convinced that this was a unique breed because their distinct traits passed on intact from generation to generation.
Myotonia congenital is the medical term for the condition that caused these goats to appear to faint. When the goats move quickly after being startled or excited, or even after stepping over a low barrier, their muscles stiffen and cannot relax as quickly as other goats. If they are off balance when this occurs they will frequently fall over, leading to the name “fainting.” The condition is painless, and the goat remains fully conscious and alert, regaining their mobility in a few seconds.
Fainting goats are renowned for their kind and calm temperaments. They are much quieter than most other goats. They appreciate routine, consistent care and respond to kindness and attention with affection and devotion.
Fainting Goats are easy to raise, and require less “goat proof facilities than other breeds because their motonia prevents them from climbing as well as other goats.
