Learn Why Myotonic Goats “Faint”

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Also called Tennesee fainting goats, myotonic goats are an American breed that is famous for becoming stiff as a board when they get overly excited or scared. They are popular as pets due to their unique nature and gentle personalities and have a variety of nicknames including stiff-leg goats, wooden-leg goats, or scare goats.

You probably had a good laugh if you watched the video above. The owners of two pet goats explain they have seen other goats enjoying playing with exercise balls and thought it might be fun to introduce a large exercise ball to their two goats. The goats, however, were not amused. As the ball rolls their way the goats panic and try to flee. However, this breed of goat has a hereditary condition of freezing up when excited, and the two don’t get very far.

Do Myotonic Goats Really Faint?

The goats in the video show a perfect (and hilarious) example of what happens to myotonic goats when they try to flee from a suspected danger. Luckily, the little goats didn’t feel any pain when they stiffened up and fell. And they didn’t actually faint.

These goats have a hereditary condition called myotonia congenita. This is an inherited disorder that can occur in people as well and affects skeletal muscles. Most animals, and humans, will go into a fight or flight mode when startled or frightened. Under intense stress, your body prepares itself to fight or run away. But when these goats are startled and tense their muscles to prepare to flee, their skeletal muscles go rigid as a board. The goats can’t do anything but fall over on their backs with stiff legs above them.

It’s not just stressful situations that can cause the goats to go stiff. Owners of these goats have reported their animals will fall over stiff when excited, such as when they know dinner is coming.

How Long Does It Last?

Fortunately, the goats have no lasting effects from the event and don’t feel pain. Unless they were to fall from a high space, they won’t suffer injuries. Also, the stiffness only lasts a short time, less than 20 seconds. But it does mean if something spooks one of these goats, such as an exercise ball gently rolling towards them like in the video, they are unable to get away from the perceived danger. However, as soon as the stiffness fades, they can get up and walk around with no problems.

Where Do Myotonic Goats Come From?

These funny goats can be traced back to the 1880s in Tennessee. It was likely a spontaneous mutation in a herd of goats that caused the gene. The goats will faint, not only when scared, but sometimes will stiffen up after attempting to run or even just step over a barrier. This trait made them less likely to escape than other goats and as a result, they were prized by farmers who didn’t need extensive fencing to keep them contained.

The gene that causes myotonia congenita is recessive. This means if myotonic goats reproduce with other types of goats that don’t have this condition, their offspring won’t have it either. It takes both parents to produce offspring that have myotonia congenita.

Myotonic Goats Are Rated On a Scale of Stiffness

Some myotonic goats stiffen up more readily than others. Breeders rate them on a scale of one to six, with one being a goat that never stiffens and six being a goat that gets stiff very easily.

Myotonic Goats as Pets

Although myotonic goats are still kept on farms and bred for milk and meat, some of these goats are raised in households as pets. The larger members of the species can range in weight from 60 to 175 pounds. However, mini myotonic goats have been bred for their smaller size, reaching only around 24 inches.

The goats are friendly and make good pets to have around children. Owners report they are easier to train than many other goat breeds. However, potential pet owners should keep in mind these goats are challenging, if not impossible, to housetrain. Owners also need to be sure their areas are clear of sharp objects or anything that could harm them when they fall down. On the plus side, these little goats love to eat weeds and will keep your yard free of overgrown plants.

Are Myotonic Goats Rare?

Not that long ago, the numbers were dwindling for myotonic goats. Today, they are on the priority list for the Livestock Conservatory. Although numbers are low, they have been improving, and they are currently listed as recovering, meaning that the nonprofit organization is keeping a careful watch on the breed