Fainting goats anyone??

[Jasmine1998]

Here are some pics of my goats "fainting"

Qat - doe

Quy - doe

Orion - buck

And my favorite of Orion

And some non fainting pics...

 

[allanimals21]

Laila my doe

Laila and my alpine wether Billy

Laila when she was skinny

My buck Gus when he was 3 months old

The other side of Gus

His blue eyes. LOL

and Gus fainted



sorry for all the pics I love my fainters. Hoping to add some does this summer

 

[LuvinMyPeeps]

They are lovely!

~ Karen

 

[chickenzoo]

I love when my buck faints and still continues eating grass.... so funny.

 

[WillMicro]

They are SO cute! How do they age? I heard the fainting can start causing them brain problems... is that true?

 

[terrilhb]

They are so adorable. Thanks for the great pictures.

 

[Lydia&Andrew]

What is it with the fainting? Is it an illness? Sorry for my ignorance but I don't know anything about these goats. (I have also seen fainting kittens).

 

[Jasmine1998]

Allaniamls - your guys are cute. I wished our buck was polled...sometimes he catches you with those horns. Drives me nuts.

WillMicro & Lydia - it does not cause brain damage. Basically it is a genetic condition that causes their muscles to contract (almost like when you get a charlie horse but without the pain) when they get startled or excited. They do not pass out. They are fully awake. The "fainting" usually lasts about 10-15 seconds, then they get up & go about their business. I have one goat that faints every time I bring out her dinner. They live a normal life span as the fainting does not hurt them physically. Of course you have to make sure that their pen is predator safe as they are more likely to get eaten by a predator since more than likely they would faint instead of running away.

This is from the registry website...
Myotonia is the condition that causes Fainting goats to stiffen and/or fall over when startled. This condition is caused by a combination of recessive genes. Fainting goats can show varying degrees of myotonia. When startled some will fall to the ground with their entire bodies perfectly stiff and rigid. Others will only stiffen in their limbs and not fall to the ground. The condition lasts for ten to fifteen seconds after which time the animal will rise and walk off stiff, still showing a noticeable degree of stiffness in their back limbs. After a short time this stiffness will disappear and they will walk and act like any other goat. This condition only affects their external muscles so while in a myotonic state the animal is fully conscious and aware of its surroundings. In no way does this condition affect their life span and with proper care they will live just as long as any other breed of goat.

http://www.faintinggoat.com/

Chikenzoo - That is funny. My buck thinks that he can outrun his faint & ends up doing rolls.

 

[Lydia&Andrew]

Very interesting....thank you!

 

[KellyHM]

chickenzoo - are you breeding yours? I would love to get one of these guys eventually.