Fainting goats: description and characteristics of the breed, rules of keeping

Nature sometimes surprises a person much more than fictitious events or fantastic assumptions. She is able to create bizarre living creatures, original unique colors or methods of protection from danger, which are particularly extravagant. An example of such natural ingenuity is the unusual properties of fainting goats, a special breed bred in the USA.

Goat history and human interaction

This breed is called Myotonic or Tennessee, and has several other names, including fainting goats. This is due to the fact that from the side it often seems that the goat suddenly fainted at the slightest threat or fright.

The first documented evidence of the existence of the breed appeared in 1880. Tinsley, a Tennessee farmer, sold the first known specimens of the variety to a buyer. A significant period of existence of fainting goats did not affect their numbers. The tendency to strange behavior did not contribute to their popularity and active breeding.

Despite the fact that unconscious animals can be difficult to keep, because they constantly fall into a stupor, often at the most inopportune moment, they were bred and kept, especially in small farms. In fact, goats were sacrificed. They were included in the herd, for example, of the same valuable breeds, sheep or other farm animals. If a flock was attacked by a predator, the fainting goat would become numb and go to the wolf or coyote as prey, while the rest of the herd remained unscathed.

Later they were used for entertainment. Their sudden muscle spasms and tumbles delighted the kids and adults who came to America's popular country fairs.

Causes of the phenomenon

A rare genetic disorder called myotonia congenital causes fainting. It is manifested by tonic muscle spasms, that is, by what outwardly looks like a loss of consciousness, in fact, it is just a temporary paralysis, literally knocking you down. It lasts no more than 10-15 seconds, while the animal remains conscious.

The cause of a sudden fall can be not only fear, but also any strong emotion. It could be getting food or a welcome treat, the approach of a member of the opposite sex, or just the excitement of a game or a sunny day.

The fall of an animal may look comical, but it is quite capable of injuring or killing itself if it suddenly falls in the wrong place. However, many generations have developed a kind of immunity against injury, so in most cases, their fainting ends for them without noticeable consequences.

Description and characteristics of the breed

Funning goats are smaller than other breeds, but much wider, as they are able to gain more body weight due to reduced mobility and activity. Their parameters:

Height at withers: 43-64 cm.
Weight: 27-79 kilograms. Adult fainting goats can gain up to 100 kilograms. The average body weight of myotonic goats is 35-40% more than that of relatives.
Protruding big eyes.
Wool can be of different lengths. There are "wooden goats" with short or long hair, as well as those that can be attributed to the group of cashmere or angora breeds. It all depends on what varieties the ancestors of the "nervous" creatures were crossed with.
Black and white coloration is common, but it is not a fundamental characteristic of the breed, because "stubborn goats" are found in all colors.

Apart from a genetic anomaly and some minor features of appearance, this breed is no different from its relatives.

Pros and cons

The benefits of fainting goats are that they can be used as a source of dietary meat and also provide good quality wool. Sometimes it approaches the level of cashmere fiber, and some animals can give soft and airy down, like angora goats.

Also, these funny creatures can be used as a live attraction, that is, they serve as decorative representatives in zoos or circuses.

Farmers, following the ancient traditions, continue to keep and breed this breed as a kind of protection. In a herd, such a goat can serve as an indicator of approaching danger.

Keeping fainting goats

An ordinary goat is a nimble and energetic animal. One has only to relax supervision, as she already chews flowers in the front garden or climbs onto the roof of a barn or even a house. But with swooning goats, things are different. Because of the disease, they are not so frisky, so they do not jump over fences and do not climb fences. In order to equip a life for a small herd, it is enough to build a warm barn for them with safe stalls lined with straw, as well as equip a grass paddock for outdoor walks.

Given the characteristics of the breed, foreign objects should be removed from the grazing so that the animals could not hit in case of a sudden fall.

What to feed

Like the rest of the species, fainting goats are picky eaters. In summer they need a lot of fresh food, mostly grass, in winter they need hay, preferably from young plants - forest or meadow.Also, animals are fed with "brooms" - bunches of branches with leaves cut from willow, poplar or birch. If necessary, a swooning goat will eat anything - straw from the bedding, and completely dry, seemingly inedible branches.

Animals are given juicy food: boiled potatoes, fodder beets, carrots, cabbage, and it is not necessary to give whole quality root crops and leafy vegetables. Fainting goats are happy to eat tops, trimmings and leftovers from the garden, the main thing is to ensure their cleanliness and sufficient quantity.

Also, animals need to ensure the supply of minerals. To do this, they are given chalk, neutralizing the acidity of green foods, and also provide constant access to lick s alt and clean drinking water.

In the cold, increase the amount of concentrated feed, remembering that their bust causes the development of urolithiasis.Fainting goats are very fond of grain, it is a delicacy for them, but it is impossible to build a diet on it. Nutrition should be varied and complete, balanced, rich in vitamins and minerals.

Breeding rules

The gene that causes myotonia in goats is recessive. This means that when crossing in the first generation, such a trait will not appear, as it will be suppressed by dominant genes. A quarter of the resulting offspring in the second generation will have a recessive gene. In the case of fainting goats, this means that the second generation of offspring is at risk of getting a tendency to myotonia in 25% of the total number of kids born.

Disease prevention

In order for goats to be he althy, it is necessary to properly maintain and feed them, as well as timely detect signs of illness, isolate a sick animal and call a veterinarian.

Goats are prone to digestive problems associated with eating wet green food or drinking directly after such food. Therefore, they are driven out to the pasture after the dew comes down, or the grass dries out after rain, fog. You can drink one hour after feeding juicy plant foods.

Goats can develop skin problems or hoof damage due to improper handling. Many difficulties can be avoided with hygiene measures, frequent cleaning of the barn, and the use of bedding. Preventing parasitic and infectious diseases is more difficult, but vaccinations, cleanliness and the quick removal of a diseased individual from the herd will help here.

Funning goats have a genetic problem that cannot be cured by medication or other methods. Therefore, when breeding them, it is desirable to select the strongest and he althiest producers.Then the offspring will not be weakened, and the gene that gives goats originality will be transferred to otherwise he althy offspring.