Post by naturelovr on Jan 19, 2009 19:28:13 GMT -6
found this while surfin' around....enjoyed it....be kinda' entertainin' to have one of these....
"Now, about the goats.
When I was younger we had a Tennessee fainting goat as a pet. (Don’t ask me why.) This species is characterized by their unique reaction to being startled: all their muscles seize up and they fall over, stiff-legged, for ten or twenty seconds. (They do not properly “faint”, as they remain conscious.) The fainting is painless, although presumably not all too pleasant. These goats were often put in with flocks of sheep, so that when wolves or coyotes approached, the goats (which were quite cheap) would faint and the sheep (which were pricier) would run away. Or so I was told. Wikipedia seems a little less sure.
But our goat, whose name was Belle, certainly did fall over at the slightest provocation, and I’m somewhat ashamed to say that when she first arrived my friends and I did go around for awhile intentionally startling her into falling over. This was funny (really funny) the first couple times, but after awhile we just started to feel bad for the poor creature, and thereafter confined ourselves to only accidentally making her faint, by approaching too quickly or throwing hay at her or making any kind of sudden movements in her presence, really.
Fortunately, we live in an age where, even if you don’t have a fainting goat yourself, you can still enjoy the hilarity of seeing them fall over. So for your viewing pleasure:......"
(the site has a you tube link to watch 'em as they fall....i'm on dial up so i didn't take the time to watch it....but the description a commenter made about 'em fallin' like dominos made it sound worth watchin'...)
fitfulmurmurs.wordpress.com/2009/01/03/by-request-fainting-goats/#more-119
wiki sez:
Wikipedia: Fainting goat
A fainting goat is a breed of domestic goat whose muscles freeze for roughly 10 seconds when the goat is startled. Though painless, this generally results in the animal collapsing on its side. The characteristic is caused by a hereditary genetic disorder called myotonia congenita. When startled, younger goats will stiffen and fall over. Older goats learn to spread their legs or lean against something when startled, and often they continue to run about in an awkward, stiff-legged shuffle.
Slightly smaller than standard breeds of goat, fainting goats are generally 43 to 64 centimeters (17 to 25 in) tall and can weigh anywhere from 27 to 79 kilograms (50 to 175 lb). They have large, prominent eyes in high sockets, and exist in as many colors as standard breeds do. 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. Common coat colors are black and white, however, most possible coat colors are found in this breed. Their life expectancy is 12 to 15 years.
The origin of the fainting goat is peculiar. The goats appear to have arrived in Marshall County, 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.
Fainting goats have many other names, including Myotonic Goats, Tennessee (Meat) Goats, Nervous Goats, Stiff-leg Goats, Wooden-leg Goats, and Tennessee Scare Goats. They are smaller and somewhat easier to care for and maintain than larger meat goat breeds, which makes the fainting goat desirable for smaller farms. They are also raised as pet or show animals as they can be friendly, intelligent, easy to keep, and amusing.
Classification
Classified as a meat goat as opposed to a dairy goat, it can be raised for chevon (goat meat). This breed is listed as threatened by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy so the fainting goat is not used as often for chevon as other meat goat breeds; its rarity makes the live goat more valuable. The fainting goat is specifically specialized for smaller production operations as they are unable to challenge fences as vigorously as larger meat goat breeds. This is due in part to smaller size and also because of the myotonia. They are a medium sized breed, with typical weights from 50-175 pounds. This size makes them easier to care for during such chores as foot trimming and administering medications. Smaller specimens of fainting goats are also frequently kept as pets.
***************
"Now, about the goats.
When I was younger we had a Tennessee fainting goat as a pet. (Don’t ask me why.) This species is characterized by their unique reaction to being startled: all their muscles seize up and they fall over, stiff-legged, for ten or twenty seconds. (They do not properly “faint”, as they remain conscious.) The fainting is painless, although presumably not all too pleasant. These goats were often put in with flocks of sheep, so that when wolves or coyotes approached, the goats (which were quite cheap) would faint and the sheep (which were pricier) would run away. Or so I was told. Wikipedia seems a little less sure.
But our goat, whose name was Belle, certainly did fall over at the slightest provocation, and I’m somewhat ashamed to say that when she first arrived my friends and I did go around for awhile intentionally startling her into falling over. This was funny (really funny) the first couple times, but after awhile we just started to feel bad for the poor creature, and thereafter confined ourselves to only accidentally making her faint, by approaching too quickly or throwing hay at her or making any kind of sudden movements in her presence, really.
Fortunately, we live in an age where, even if you don’t have a fainting goat yourself, you can still enjoy the hilarity of seeing them fall over. So for your viewing pleasure:......"
(the site has a you tube link to watch 'em as they fall....i'm on dial up so i didn't take the time to watch it....but the description a commenter made about 'em fallin' like dominos made it sound worth watchin'...)
fitfulmurmurs.wordpress.com/2009/01/03/by-request-fainting-goats/#more-119
wiki sez:
Wikipedia: Fainting goat
A fainting goat is a breed of domestic goat whose muscles freeze for roughly 10 seconds when the goat is startled. Though painless, this generally results in the animal collapsing on its side. The characteristic is caused by a hereditary genetic disorder called myotonia congenita. When startled, younger goats will stiffen and fall over. Older goats learn to spread their legs or lean against something when startled, and often they continue to run about in an awkward, stiff-legged shuffle.
Slightly smaller than standard breeds of goat, fainting goats are generally 43 to 64 centimeters (17 to 25 in) tall and can weigh anywhere from 27 to 79 kilograms (50 to 175 lb). They have large, prominent eyes in high sockets, and exist in as many colors as standard breeds do. 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. Common coat colors are black and white, however, most possible coat colors are found in this breed. Their life expectancy is 12 to 15 years.
The origin of the fainting goat is peculiar. The goats appear to have arrived in Marshall County, 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.
Fainting goats have many other names, including Myotonic Goats, Tennessee (Meat) Goats, Nervous Goats, Stiff-leg Goats, Wooden-leg Goats, and Tennessee Scare Goats. They are smaller and somewhat easier to care for and maintain than larger meat goat breeds, which makes the fainting goat desirable for smaller farms. They are also raised as pet or show animals as they can be friendly, intelligent, easy to keep, and amusing.
Classification
Classified as a meat goat as opposed to a dairy goat, it can be raised for chevon (goat meat). This breed is listed as threatened by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy so the fainting goat is not used as often for chevon as other meat goat breeds; its rarity makes the live goat more valuable. The fainting goat is specifically specialized for smaller production operations as they are unable to challenge fences as vigorously as larger meat goat breeds. This is due in part to smaller size and also because of the myotonia. They are a medium sized breed, with typical weights from 50-175 pounds. This size makes them easier to care for during such chores as foot trimming and administering medications. Smaller specimens of fainting goats are also frequently kept as pets.
