Fainting Goats

Introduction

Fainting goats, as absurd as it sounds, really do exist! Due to a genetic condition called myotonia congenita, these goats appear to faint when there is a sign stimulus take for example a sudden action from a bystander, which startles them. They can even keel over when they are overly excited about being fed!

A General Description and History

Picture 1:

A breed of domestic goat yet slightly smaller than standard breeds of goat, fainting goats are generally 43 to 64 centimeters tall and can weigh anywhere from 27 to 75 kilograms. With reference to Picture 1, note that they have large, prominent eyes in high sockets, and exist in as many colors as standard breeds do. Common colors are black and white. Hair can be short or long, with certain individuals producing a great deal of cashmere during colder months. There appears to be no angora strain of the fainting goat.

Wikipedia:

“The origin of the fainting goat is peculiar. The goats appear to have arrived in Marshall Country, Tennessee in the early 1800s, courtesy of a reclusive farm worker named Jon Tinsley who was most likely from Nova Scotia. Before he left the area, he sold his goats — three does and a buck — to Dr. H.H. Mayberry, who bred them.”

The breed soon became popular throughout the region, due to three major factors. Firstly, they were less prone to climbing and escapades due to their smaller sizes and genetic condition. Secondly, they had a higher scale of muscularity in comparison to the standard breed and thus would taste better. Classified as a meat goat, fainting goats can be raised for chevon (goat meat). This breed is listed as threatened by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy so they are not used as often for chevon as other meat goat breeds; its rarity makes it more valuable. Thirdly, fainting goats have high reproductive rates (typically two or more to a litter).

More Details

Picture 2:

Myotonia congenita is a condition in which the muscle cells experience prolonged contraction when the goat is startled. Though painless, it would result in the goat collapsing on its side. They faint by all outward appearances, though there is considerable variation in intensity. The intensity of the stimulus is a significant influential factor; for if the goats are only mildly startled, they will simply stiffen themselves for a moment or two. If the fright is more intense, they will collapse and take on a rigor-mortised appearance for about ten seconds (Picture 2). They do not lose consciousness at all, and would resume their activity after their fainting phase is over.

The actual degree of stiffness may vary widely from goat to goat and is based on a number of factors, including age, species purity, and degree of fright. When startled, younger goats will stiffen and fall over. Older goats learn to spread their legs or lean against something when startled, illustrating adaptive behavior, and often they continue to run about in an awkward, stiff-legged shuffle.

An Interesting Tidbit

James C. Knapp:

“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.”

Here, it is interesting to note that there is some degree of human intervention in the predator-prey cycle. Whereas it is perfectly natural for wolves to hunt sheeps (the survival of the fittest regime), there is a re-direction of attention from the sheeps to the goats with the latter as decoy. This is done by 'utilising' this natural mechanism in fainting goats which causes them to faint in the midst of the pandemonium. Considering that the predator-prey cycle is still retained (merely with a switch in prey) and that human interests (which are also sheep interests) are protected, can we then say that there is an perfectly ideal balance struck between human intervention and the natural world? Is nature then, truly natural?

References:
“Ethological Experiments”, author unknown. University of Plymouth, Department of Psychology, 27 March 2008.

“Fainting Goats”, James C. Knapp, Jr. Jim: The Man, The Homepage, 27 March 2008.

“Fainting Goat”, author unknown. Wikipedia, 27 March 2008.

“Fainting Goats (video)”. eBaum’s World, 27 March 2008.

“No-Knees Fainting Goat Farm”. No-Knees Fainting Goat Farm, 27 March 2008.