About Myotonic Goats
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It is said that the first Myotonic goats were brought to Tennessee by a farm laborer named John Tinsley
from Nova Scotia in the 1800s.
Myotonic goats are known by many names (Myotonic, Tennessee Fainting, Texas Meat, Texas Wooden Leg, etc).
Despite the name “Fainting Goat”, Myotonic goats do not really faint. Due to a genetic muscle condition
called myotonia congenital, when they are startled or overly excited, their muscles experience prolonged
contractions causing them to fall over. Once their muscles relax, they jump up and are off again. They
are listed as “Threatened” on the American Livestock Breed Conservancy Priority List.
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Pfaff Pfamily Pfarm Rambo “down”
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Triple-T Rosey "locked-up"
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This behavior in no way affects their health. It is strictly a muscle condition and does not affect
their nervous system or their brain. Each goat has a varying degree of stiffness from those that are
consistently stiff to those that are rarely stiff.
Their fainting behavior does not cause them any pain. Because of this recessive genetic condition,
they are easy to manage as they do not climb or jump well making it much easier to keep them fenced
in.
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Triple-T Locket "play dead faint"
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Danks Acres Oreo (Krissie)
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They are also less vocal than other breeds of goats. If you stop to think about it, if you cannot effectively run away from predators, why would you announce to them that you are there? This is not to say that they are speechless. They just seem to save their “baabaa’s” for when there is something to baa about, like dinner.
Myotonic does are
known to be easy kidders (give birth easily on their own)
and for being good moms if allowed to become fully sexually mature before their first breeding (at least 12 months old).
Their friendly mannerisms and
small to medium size make them great pets and companion animals. |
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In addition to these qualities, the prolonged contraction of the muscles causes heavy muscling. Many
Boer and Kiko breeders will mate their does to a Myotonic buck to increase the muscle mass of their
meat producing goats.
These goats are not your average run-of-the-mill goats. They are very special and unique works of nature. Help us, and all of the other Myotonic goat breeders, get this wonderful, rare, and threatened creature off of the American Livestock Breed Conservancy priority list and back into the general population.
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Quinton Ranch Rodeo Star – herd sire
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To learn more about this incredibly unique and rare animal, please visit the International Fainting
Goat Association,
the Myotonic Goat Registry
and The American Livestock Breed Conservancy web sites. |
