Fainting Goat

 Native Land Tennessee
Average Weight 70 lb
Average Height 2.5 ft
Diet Hay and mixed feed

Native to United States farmlands, the fainting goat does not actually faint, but rather becomes stiff-legged and falls over whenever they get startled or scared due to a genetic defect with their muscles known as myotonia.  This rather peculiar condition is painless and has no negative affect on the goats over-all health or life span expectancy. If properly cared for, the myotonic “Fainting” goat can live to the ripe old age of 12-15 years or more at times. The condition does impact them resulting in increased muscle mass and bone density throughout their bodies, but focused primarily in their hindquarters. Only external muscles are affected, not internal organs.

Eventually older goats learn to lean against fences, buildings or rocks and they are much better at staying in an upright position. Other nicknames for such goat are "nervous", “scared”, “wooden-legged”, “limber-legged” or "stiff-legged" goats.  

Today's fainting goats are descended from a few that were bred in the 1880's in Tennessee. Once close to extinction, they have been bred back and are no longer labeled "endangered". 

Breed characteristics of the Fainting Goat are mostly noted in the facial features. They have a definite “bug-eyed” or “pop-eyed look to them. This is apparent due to the wide, broad bone structure surrounding their eyes that continues to narrow as it circles around back to the ears. This gives the appearance of the eye coming out of its socket, but instead it is the wide set positioning of the eyes and the over-all structure of the bone that is accountable for this.

Fainting Goats come in all colored coats with varying coat lengths, from short to long. It is not unusual to find goats with smooth, short coats and then others with long coats touching the ground. As with goat breeds from colder climates, the Fainting Goat develops a cashmere undercoat during the winter months. The level of cashmere growth varies with each goat. When winter is over the goat sheds this cashmere and returns to its normal straight or slightly wavy coat.

Other breed characteristics include: wide muzzle, medium length nose, notable rippled ears, straight profile, heavy bone density, greater muscling in rear-quarters as well as well muscled spine.

Presently used as a quality meat source, they did originate for the purpose of protecting the more expensive flocks of sheep from unsavory predators. Fainting goats would be placed in a flock and when a predator approached, the goat would stiffen and fall over, making an easy meal for the predator while the more valuable sheep made their get-a-way.

Some Fainting Goats are polyestrous (come into heat year round) while others come into heat more seasonally, with climate or previous breeding influencing this pattern. Mothers are expected to have one kid the first time bred, then often times has twins the second go at it, but triplets and quads have been known to happen. The gestation period is five months (141-151 days) as it is for other breeds of goat.

Kids are efficient drinkers, alert and agile within moments of their births and within hours of their births some kids begin to demonstrate signs of myotonia. Other kids show signs of leg-stiffening when they are several months older.

Today the fainting goat assumes the role of pet or exhibit animal.

Other facts about the fainting goat: