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Billy Bob, our ten-year Fainting Goat, came with the farm. His former owners had planned on harvesting him for meat, but offered to leave him with us. And of course we said yes!
Despite their name, Fainting Goats are not actually fainting when they freeze up and or tumble over. It has to do with their brains. Fainting Goats are born with a condition called Myotonia congenita, which affects how they react to being startled or excited. Instead of tensing up for a split second and then relaxing, a fainting goat’s muscles stay tense, causing them too stiffen or even fall over. But don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt them!
Older Fainting goats, like Billy Bob, can get used to their condition and learn to stay upright when they are excited or scared. Their muscles still may tense up and freeze, but they have learned how to stay on their feet until the condition relaxes. Billy is the father of our latest addition to the farm, Dusk. Some guests accidentally let our female goats out to play with Billy! So now we have a fainting Nigerian Dwarf goat!
Billy Bob passed away after two wonderful years at the farm. He went peacefully and now has a reserved spot in the main house watching over our every move.
