fainting goats

found this on you tube. i gotta get some of these!!!
fainting goat

One thing for sure, not much effort required for rounding up a BBQ dinner.

Almost forgot milk for the cereal.

I've been told that livestock raisers would have these so that they coyotes or wolves would eat these instead of the prized livestock. In other words, these were worthless animals that the rancher wanted to get rid of first and were used as a diversion.
Anymore though, they go for pretty good money.

I haven't checked goat prices lately but I'll bet there close to calves per LB.

I've had a herd of Fainting Goats for 15 years. Most are registered with AFTA (American Fainting Goat Association). Much of what is often heard about them is pure nonsense.

#1, they do NOT faint. They get stiff and somewhat paralyized, but are still fully conscious. In fact, often, even when keeled over with their legs up in the air, they will often still eat if you hand them some grain.

#2, the old story about them making good "fall guys" for predators is also a little silly. With most Fainting Goats, when they get threatened, they usually do not faint or stiffen up. Seems to be some built-in defense mechanism. They will keel over on a whim at times, but usually won't when truly frightened.

Fainting Goats, AKA Tennessee Fainters, Wooden Leg Goats, stiff leg Goats, Tennesse Meat Goats, Texas Meat Goats, etc. come with different degrees of the Fainting gene. Some keel over often, and some rarely do it. The disorder is called Thompsons Disease, altough it's a a gentic trait and not an illness that can be caught. Humans also can have it. At one time, Fainting Goats were part of a study in an effort to cure the disease in humans.

These goats range from very small (around 40 lbs.) to much larger, especially around Texas where they are raised free-range for Chevon (goat meat). The large Fainters are considered a good meat goat, but not as good as the South African Boer Goats.

Saw quite a story about them on Blue Grass and Backroads one time. They said that it's the same response to being startled that we all have,where you tend to stiffen up when startled. They just can't relax for several seconds after it happens. Said they tend to grow out of it as they get older or at least learn to compensate. Claimed that it's almost impossible to "MAKE" them do it. Just have to be naturally startled.

They're all different, just like people. Some will "faint", over and over, and others won't.

When you get a Fainter registered, you have to photograph it while it's in the "fainting" position, and they get judged by the intensity of their "fainting" spell - on a scale from 1 to 5.

JDE ; In your reading of this have you came across much about it in humans ?

My son has cataplexy ,which to me seems to have similar symptoms to what the goats do.

Doctors don't know much about it. The sleep study doctors do some,but the medicine hasn't helped him only about 60-70% ? Sure would be nice to get him regulated ( or cured ) so he could be safe to drive a car.

I agree it's always funny when it happens to someone else ,especially if it is an animal.

But try dealing with it as a 17 year old boy like my son has to. He has cataplexy which seems similar symptoms to me. He does pretty good with it overall , but it is hard on him trying to fit in and act "normal" . Sure would be nice to find a doctor that actually knows something. Maybe even a good Vet ?

glennster,
Wife and daughter had one with thier pygmy goats a couple of years ago. Lotta fun, just do something loud/quick and you see thier eyes go back, legs stiffen and over they go! Hope PITA doesn't see this but wife got her's from her feed salesman as it had been abandoned - free.

Craigslist if you need one or a herd? Didn't know there was an association for them.

Now we have a tame rabbit "living" outside playing with the horses but can't catch it. Guess the coyote problem is down for now.

We sold over 20 babies this summer. $100 for wethers and $250 for intact male or female.

Good James!

Jim (aka James)