Myotonic goats are called fainting goats because when surprised or scared, their muscles stiffen up, and they fall over!Contrary to their name of ‘scare goats’ or ’nervous goats,’ these goats aren’t scared when they fall. The Tennessee fainting goats belong to a goat breed prone to myotonia congenita, a mobility disease that affects the skeletal muscles and this ailment disrupts the goat’s natural fight-or-flight response.A congenital condition called myotonia congenita, also known as Thomsen’s illness, makes the goats faint. When shocked, their muscles stiffen up, causing them to fall as though frightened. In a typical fight-or-flight response, your muscles rapidly relax, thus enabling you to fight or flee (flight). If you faint, your muscles don’t relax fast. Instead, they seize up for a few seconds to a minute or more. If you’ve ever been shocked, you’ve had a similar sensation. Fainting goats slump overdue to stiffened legs that won’t relax. Fortunately, these episodes seldom cause discomfort or damage to fainting goats. However, younger goats are more likely to drop.Goats may frequently learn to stand on their stiff legs as they grow. Non-fainting goats do show this odd behavior belonging to a unique breed known by several names, including myotonic goats, Tennessee fainting goats, Tennessee meat goats, stiff-leg goats, anxious goats, and frightened goats. The condition has been known to affect animals other than goats.Find out more about why startled goats faint in this article. You may also read why do giraffes have horns and why do roosters crow to know more about animals.Is it normal for goats to faint?It is normal, but not all goats go through this. The Tennessee fainting goat is famous for falling over. Have you ever seen a herd of goats faint? Well, these goats are a bit unique in that an entire herd can faint when confronted by a predator or even the fear of a predator.The nervous goats aren’t scared when they fall. The Tennessee fainting goat has myotonia congenita (MC), a mobility condition that affects the skeletal muscles. Relaxation of muscles may be delayed while they are fleeing away from possible danger, causing muscular rigidity and immobility. A myotonic goat is usually startled by loud noises or abrupt movements. The sudden tightening of muscles may lead them to fall over as if fainting from fear. It concerns some goats more than others and makes them helpless in their condition.It is believed that the gene causing stiffness was transferred when four goats were purchased in Tennessee, U.S. from Nova Scotia in the 1880s by a farmworker named John Tinsley. The group was originally purchased by Dr. H. H. Mayberry who raised them as a part of a bigger herd. Bigger fainting goats were bred in Texas in the U.S. starting in the 1930s by breeders.What To Do When A Goat FaintsGoats are herd animals and thrive in groups. It’s best to have two fainting goats in your herd as they won’t fare well with just one animal.Fainting goats are pleasant and gregarious creatures. There are numerous reasons to raise fainting goats, besides the obvious for milk or goat meat, such as for pets or shows. In certain instances, the animals are bred to manage weeds. If properly socialized, these animals may be great family pets as they are simpler to care for than other breeds. To get started, you will need a few items to guarantee your herd’s health, including a gated enclosure, sufficient shelter, food, freshwater, vitamins and minerals, vaccines, and veterinary care.The stiffness lasts roughly 5-20 seconds. However, scared goats are vulnerable to stress, which may cause long-term damage. Most animals stay awake and bounce back up until the stiffness goes away. The condition causes the body to shut down and induces skeletal and muscular contractions, especially in their rear legs. This illness may also infect people, horses, cats, and rodents. MC is a condition in which the goat’s muscle cells contract for a long time when shocked. The goat breed may tumble as a response to the contractions’ momentary rigidity.How To Keep Your Goat From FaintingFainting goats are raised for meat and milk, although some keep them as pets. Your fainting goats will require some basic protection from the threat of elements. Your herd will thrive if the shelter allows them to rest.Your location will influence your shelter choice. To keep your herd warm and secure from snow, sleet, and hail, build a shelter that is partly enclosed. The shelter doesn’t have to be fancy, just strong enough to protect them from all the elements. A competent vet can also advise on nutritional queries and effectively manage the herd’s hooves.One advantage of having fainting goats is that they do not jump as high as other breeds so, and thus, do not climb fences. They’re less likely to flee than other goats, not because they faint, but because they can’t leap or climb well. It is important to be aware of possible predators in your neighborhood. Mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, and bobcats may prey on enclosed animals. Everyone wants their place to be hidden from harsh weather and feel secure.What does it mean when goats faint?It’s all about their brains as myotonia congenita influences how frightened goats respond.If the muscles of this breed are not allowed to relax after a split second of tensing, this may cause this meat goat breed to stiffen or fall over. Strangely though, they never seem to lose consciousness. Although they are referred to as anxious goats, they are not more worried than other breeds; they just show their nervousness differently. People have inquired as to whether the goats are in agony when they faint, but they are not. It doesn’t hurt, and it isn’t fainting. The animal usually wakes up after the stiffness subsides. Myotonia congenita, a rare hereditary disease, causes the locking up. It causes the goats’ muscles to abruptly tense and then progressively relax. People, horses, dogs, cats, and mice may all have this condition. That said, it’s important not to frighten them to test whether they faint, since their condition prevents them from fleeing a potentially dangerous situation.Tennessee wooden-leg goats, stiff-leg goats, and fright goats are uncommon breeds found in America that are known to faint. When a goat gets frightened or terrified, they fall. Their muscle stiffens, resulting in a sudden and unexpected fall. They never lose consciousness and are always completely awake. They can continue jogging after the muscle has relaxed. Fainting goats of the same species are similar to ordinary goats. These are some of the meat goats raised in the United States. Furthermore, they make wonderful pets.While some may object to humans keeping myotonic goats as pets, it is beneficial to do so. Natural selection would have wiped off myotonic goats long ago if they weren’t raised for meat or pets. They would die out if they fell over every time a predator arrived. Goats are the only animal breed deliberately developed to keep this condition. While myotonic goats are renowned for their hardiness, they are increasingly bred for genetic conditions that make them interesting companions.Did You Know…Fainting goats are bred by the breeders for three primary purposes.Meat: Like most farm goats, the fainting type is bred for meat. Because goats are known for their trait of being natural climbers and jumpers, the livestock may easily escape from pens or fences on a farm. Farmers must often exert extra effort to confine their animals. However, myotonia congenita inhibits the animals’ instincts since climbing and leaping may cause syncope.For Fun: Fainting goats are occasionally kept as pets. Some owners grow them for their distinctive fainting episodes, while others raise them merely to keep them contained. Their temperaments and physical appearances make them excellent companion animals.To Guard Sheep Herds: Many farmers regarded them as ideal sheep herd protectors because a scared fainting goat would fall over or hobble.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for why do goats faint, then why not take a look at why do turtles live so long or Nigerian dwarf goat facts?
Myotonic goats are called fainting goats because when surprised or scared, their muscles stiffen up, and they fall over!
