Why goats can faint when frightened
As strange as it may sound, some goats literally faint. It provokes a similar state of nervous stress or fear, but this happens only with a certain, rare breed. The myotonic species, fainting among the common people, suffers from genetic disorders that are passed from generation to generation. So why do goats faint when frightened?
Goats faint when frightened
A bit of history
The story goes that in 1880 the farmer Tinsley was the first to find these goats and offered to buy them to another Texas farmer. There were only four of them, and they are the progenitors of those who faint from fright even today. It happens like this: experiencing fear, the muscles of the limbs of the frightened individual paralyze and lose the ability to hold the body. Then the animal falls on its side or back, which looks funny and incomprehensible.
But the reasons from which the goat faints are much more and they are as follows.
- sympathy for a stunning member of the opposite sex;
- an abundance of favorite foods;
- impending predator danger;
- loud noise from a car rushing at high speed;
- fear of death caused by a formidable and aggressive person.
What are they - scary goats
External characteristics: reaches up to 65 cm in height and sometimes weighs up to 79 kilograms. And these are only females, and males reach 100 kilograms. The large bulging eyes and the straight profile are very noticeable. The main distinctive color of goats is black and white. There are rarely other colors. Their wool is of interest. Although it is not the same as that of angora, it is of good quality.
In general, the breed is calm and even lazy, its large size makes it popular for breeding. These goats are more meat than dairy and, if not for a specific feature, they would no longer be any different from their counterparts. But goats of this breed faint so easily that they frighten others and even their owners at first. This state lasts only 15 seconds, after which they again stand on their feet and behave as if nothing had happened.
What is the secret of being in demand
Fright can lead to fainting
The broken gene is inherited by goats, although it is observed only in every second generation. The result of crossing the breed with others was the preservation of an unusual characteristic. But, if our people call them nervous or swoon, then in their homeland in America they are called wooden or hard-footed. And despite the inexplicable pathology, this species is successfully bred.
The popularity is due not only to exceeding other varieties by almost 40% in weight, which means more meat as a result. And also thanks to the ability to divert danger from the whole herd. How exactly? Noticing the approach of a predator, and this is one of the reasons from which the goat faints to be paralyzed for a while, all the other individuals fled and only one, lying unconscious, became an easy prey. Cruel and inhumane, some pastoralists use this trick successfully, sacrificing one individual to save others.
An interesting fact, but the lovers of this breed, back in 1989, registered the international society of fans of Myotonic goats. Their main task was to preserve the species and the formation of standards that must be followed when breeding them in the future. Numerous videos confirm the breed's unique skills and amaze those who see it for the first time. Today, the breed is recognized as endangered and is protected throughout the United States.
Paradoxically, this only increased their interest in them. And, if earlier, farmers were bribed by their meek disposition, which facilitated their maintenance. Compared to others that are much faster and more agile, nervous goats benefit from the fact that they are easier to cut and heal. They do not jump over fences and are famous for their meat taste. Small farms happily bred Miotic. And now they are rare, which means they are even more valuable than before. And they give birth to them for a different purpose - like a pet. Yes, they are smart and friendly. By the way, in America they are also used for showing in fashionable television shows. This is how it turned out to be a spicy feature out of a shortcoming.
Health risk
Having found out why goats faint, it is reasonable to find out if this phenomenon is dangerous for them. Myotonia itself, although a disease, certainly does not pose any danger to animals. There are two forms of the disease, and both are caused by a genetic disorder. If a goat faints on its back, then it still remains conscious, but does not understand at all what is happening to it. And here there is a risk of injury from an unsuccessful landing on some object, which may be in the place of its fall. Another scenario is a fall while running. As a result, they roll over and somersault, getting stretched and damaged. Severe bruises and fractures have not yet been recorded, which allows us to conclude that there is no harm in fainting attacks in a particular breed.
Swoon are a kind of goats we are used to, only with a specific skill. The disease manifests itself in extreme circumstances and does not pose a danger to the animal. Now, not only farmers, but also scientists are studying it, which gives a chance to increase the population of phenomenal horned animals and prevent the extinction of the species. For beginners in goat breeding, it is the Myotonic representatives, being docile and slow, will become an excellent experience that will definitely not discourage the hunt for this occupation.