Please note: We maintain a closed, registered herd for genetic conservation and our enjoyment, but are no longer offering our goats for sale to the public.
Wooden-Leg, Nervous, Stiff-Legged, or as one little boy affectionately describes them: Knock-Out Goats; no matter what you call them, they are a wonderful, fascinating breed. We breed traditional goats, so we prefer to call them by a traditional name: Fainting Goats.
This breed is believed to have originated in Marshall County, TN, from goats that were brought here from Nova Scotia. They are considered a landrace breed, and this quality means they are more parasite resistant than most other breeds of goats. Fainting Goats have a condition known as Myotonia, in which the goat's muscles become "saturated" with calcium from their systems whenever the goats are startled or overly excited. The goat does not actually faint or lose consciousness; their muscles just stiffen, resulting in an inability to move normally--or the goat will even fall over, sometimes with all four feet in the air. A myotonic episode lasts for less than a minute, then the goat recovers and goes about his normal business with no harm incurred. The goats are easily contained behind fencing because their myotonia decreases their ability to climb.
But....Fainting Goats are so much more than just myotonia....These goats are good foragers and are considered a good heritage meat goat, listed on Slow Food's Ark of Taste, with a high meat-to-bone ratio. They are very friendly and the wethers also make wonderful pets. The Livestock Conservancy lists them as Recovering.
Our foundation goats originated from B's Barn Farm, Pint Size Ranch, Hartsell Farms, and Beechkeld, with bloodlines that include Redbud Eight, Onion Creek Ranch, and the old lines of Vanden Farm, Edd Bissell, Riedell, Goulet's Ranch, Eggerton, and Kolodzie.
This breed is believed to have originated in Marshall County, TN, from goats that were brought here from Nova Scotia. They are considered a landrace breed, and this quality means they are more parasite resistant than most other breeds of goats. Fainting Goats have a condition known as Myotonia, in which the goat's muscles become "saturated" with calcium from their systems whenever the goats are startled or overly excited. The goat does not actually faint or lose consciousness; their muscles just stiffen, resulting in an inability to move normally--or the goat will even fall over, sometimes with all four feet in the air. A myotonic episode lasts for less than a minute, then the goat recovers and goes about his normal business with no harm incurred. The goats are easily contained behind fencing because their myotonia decreases their ability to climb.
But....Fainting Goats are so much more than just myotonia....These goats are good foragers and are considered a good heritage meat goat, listed on Slow Food's Ark of Taste, with a high meat-to-bone ratio. They are very friendly and the wethers also make wonderful pets. The Livestock Conservancy lists them as Recovering.
Our foundation goats originated from B's Barn Farm, Pint Size Ranch, Hartsell Farms, and Beechkeld, with bloodlines that include Redbud Eight, Onion Creek Ranch, and the old lines of Vanden Farm, Edd Bissell, Riedell, Goulet's Ranch, Eggerton, and Kolodzie.