How Much Does a Fainting Goat Cost?

When you hear that someone has a fainting goat as a pet, it may seem quite strange, but it is a real American fashion nowadays. When frightened, the so-called “fainting goats” or myotonic goats, as they are also named, collapse on their side. They fall to the ground, often with their legs raised to the sky, somewhat comically stiff. After lying still on the ground for a few seconds, they recover and jump back to their feet as quickly as they fell.

This curious reaction to fright has made fainting goats the subject of many viral, and often humorous, videos on the Internet. In the United States, they are so popular that every year in October there is a festival dedicated to them,  called“Goats Music & More”.

How Much Does a Fainting Goat Cost?

The cost of a fainting goat is anywhere between $110 and $620, depending on the animal’s pedigree. For instance, a goat with a pedigree costs $310 to $620, while for a fainting goat without a pedigree, you will have to pay anywhere between $110 and $310.

The price of a purebred fainting goat without pedigree starts at $110 at most breeders.

A fainting goat is also called a Tennessee meat goat sometimes, so when you are looking for fainting goat for sale advertisements in your area keep an eye out for this breed name variation as well.

Most probably, you will have to pay the normal price for a Tennessee meat goat, if you purchase one to two goats. However, you may be able to haggle the price, if you buy a herd of more than two adult goats.

There are some other recurring and one-time costs you need to consider aside from the cost of the myotonic goat itself. We will go over these in the following lines.

Costs of owning a Myotonic goat

When calculating the total cost of owning a fainting goat, there are many factors to take into consideration.

In order to make sure that you provide the proper living conditions and care for your fainting goat, it is essential to consider all the financial aspects.

As you can see in the table above, the cost of keeping a fainting goat would be anywhere between $1500 and $10,700 per year, including the cost of the animal itself.

Also, a big part of this cost is represented by the shelter for your animals. If you already have one, you won’t have to spend money to purchase a brand-new goat barn.

Another important factor that contributes to the wide cost range is the type of goat you buy, with or without a pedigree.

Fainting goats are a little more expensive than regular goats, so the start-up expenses for the first year are a little higher.

Veterinary costs

Plan on spending only around $55 for routine deworming and vaccinations, if your fainting goat is well and healthy.

You might also like our articles on the cost of goats in general, Pygmy goats, or sheep.

But, if your myotonic goat has more serious health issues such as debilitating muscle disease or digestive problems, the regular vet bills will be much higher. Also, you should also prepare for an emergency medical procedure, which will surely raise the vet-related costs.

It is pretty hard to account for these, but it is recommended to set aside a little money each month.

Feeding costs

The feeding costs will vary, depending on the type of feeder you purchase. Obviously, high-quality commercial feeders will be more expensive than other types of hay.

The food your goat consumes will be supplemented by foraging and grazing, if you have a large property.

It is very important to store the food for your goat in proper spaces in order to prevent the contamination of food, waste of food, and overall unnecessary food loss.

Shelter costs

The shelter cost will start from $0 and go up to more than $6,100, depending on what is already built on your property. You will not have to spend a penny on the shelter for your animals if you already have a barn.

But if you want a prefabricated, brand-new, high-end barn for your fainting goats, you should be prepared to spend around $6,100.

Fainting goat origin

Myotonic goats first appeared in the American state of Tennessee in the 1880s, when a young temporary farm worker named John Tinsley entered the country with four of these goats. Tinsley worked in the area for several years and then moved, but before he left, he sold his goats to his employer Dr. H.H. Mayberry.

At least one of these goats exhibits this distinct genetic trait. No one knows where John Tinsley came from or where he got his goats. It is rumored, however, that he came from Nova Scotia, Canada, but no one knows for sure. The origin of the breed remains a mystery, as the genetic issue does not appear to have appeared elsewhere in the world.

Goats eventually became a source of meat. These goats are muscular but docile and easier to care for and maintain. They are also bred as pets or for shows because they can be friendly, intelligent, easy to care for, and funny.

Why do goats faint?

The temporary paralysis causing the goats to fall down with their legs outstretched is nothing more than a consequence of a genetic disease. Myotonia is a short-term paralysis of the muscles in a stressful situation.

It is important to know that the animal does not suffer pain and is conscious That is why some say that it should not be called fainting.

Do fainting goats cost more than other goat breeds?

Yes, fainting goats cost a little more than other breeds of goats. As their popularity increased in the last years, their prices increased as well.

Other goat breeds cost only around $80, while a fainting goat is priced at $110 to $620.

In general, female goats are a little more expensive than males of the same breed.