 John Foxx/Getty Images Fainting goats, when startled, tense up and fall over. It could take several seconds for them to regain movement. See more pictures of mammals. |
The lives of goats, by all appearances, consist mostly of eating, climbing, butting heads and a whole lot of standing on top of things. One particular breed of goat, however, is known for a rather different trait: stiffening up and appearing to faint.
Footage of these fainting goats continues to make the rounds on video-sharing Web sites and cable animal programs. After all, what's more hilarious than watching an entire pack of goats keel over in unison every time a farmer runs up to them with an umbrella?
Yet despite all appearances, these goats (also known as myotonic goats, "Tennessee stiff-legs," "Tennessee wooden-legs," "nervous goats" and "fall-down goats") aren't simply weak of heart or abnormally prone to fright. In fact, fainting goats don't actually faint or lose consciousness at all during these episodes. Due to an congenital (present from birth) medical condition known as myotonia congenita or Thomsen's disease, the goat's muscles tense up when the animal is startled and don't immediately relax. Think of it as a full-body charley horse, except without the pain.
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The severity of the condition varies. Some fainting goats will stiffen up every time they're startled, others less frequently. Symptoms often lessen over time and some animals are able to better adapt to the condition. Younger goats are more prone to fall over and tumble when startled, but as they grow older, many eventually manage to avoid falling down altogether during an episode. They simply run away from a threat on stiffened legs. Older goats also tend to become more secure with their environment and startle less easily.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at this rare breed of goat. We'll look at how myotonic congenita works and how it affects the goats' lives. We'll also examine how they came to be considered a breed and why anyone would choose to encourage their fainting spells.
As fainting goats are selectively bred to encourage myotonia congenita, ethical concerns are occasionally raised about the practice, and breeders are quick to assure others that nothing cruel is taking place as the goats don't experience pain during the fainting episodes. However, according to Kathy Guillermo, director of research for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the raising of fainting goats offers few benefits in the eyes of her organization. "In general, I would say PETA would be opposed to breeding congenital problems in animals, just as they oppose breeding dogs to encourage bad stuff," Guillermo said. "It kind of contributes to the idea that animals are the oddities or playthings of human beings. That doesn't really seem a valid reason to breed for that kind of effect of trait." The Humane Society, on the other hand, doesn't come down nearly as hard on the breed. Any concerns raised by their selective breeding, according to Humane Society representative Jordan Crump, are light compared to various breeding issues in the meat and chicken industries and are more or less on par with some of health problems common to specific breeds of dogs. He also added that, given the novelty of fainting goats, most of the animals likely experience better care than common farm goats. Currently, neither the Humane Society of the United States or PETA has an official stance on the specific issue. |
