ORDER

Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

FAMILY

Bovidae (antelopes, cattle, gazelles, goats, sheep and relatives)

HABITAT AND RANGE

Fainting goats are domestic goats with a genetic disorder. They are barn animals so they are not found in the wild.

IDENTIFICATION

Domestic goats can come in many size and color variations. They can be horned or polled (naturally hornless). Since they are highly bred animals for their "fainting trait" they can come in many designer colors including white, brown, black and tan. Goats can weigh between 50-165 lbs and stand 17-25 inches tall.

DIET

Goats are grazers eating grasses, weeds, flowers, oats, barley, corn and alfalfa. They also need to be provided with vitamins and minerals such as selenium and salt.

REPRODUCTION AND LIFESPAN

Females are polyestrous (they come into heat all year). They come into heat every three weeks and remain so 1-3 days at a time. Gestation lasts 145-151 days. Kids are seldom weaned earlier than three months of age. Twins are common but triplets and quadruplets are possible.

NOTES

Fainting goats do not actually faint. Due to a genetic trait, when the goats are startled their muscles tense up and lock up for about 15 seconds; this can result in the goat falling over resembling fainting. The technical term for this is to be "myotonic." Farmers bred these goats to safeguard their sheep herds. They would place a couple of sacrificial fainting goats in their sheep herds. If a coyote or dog were to attack the herd of sheep, the goat would “faint” and provide the predator with an easy meal allowing the sheep to escape. Humans can be myotonic. The origin of the Fainting goat has been traced back to the 1880's in Marshall County, Tennessee.