Myotonic Goat

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A boy fainting goat during a paralysis

The Myotonic Goat or Fainting Goat is a breed of domestic goat from the United States . Due to the genetic disorder myotonia it expires at risk in terror mortis .

Characteristics

Myotonic or Fainting Goats are a little smaller compared to other goat breeds. They reach a body height of 43 to 64 centimeters and a weight between 27 and 79 kilograms, and a little more for fully grown bucks. The Fainting Goat has large and protruding eyes, a raised orbit and an individually different coat length. The most common colors of the goat are black and white, but all coat colors occur.

In addition to the most well-known names such as Myotonic and Fainting Goats, the animals of the breed are known as Tennessee Goats , Nervous Goats , Stiff-leg Goats , Wooden-leg Goats and Tennessee Scare Goats . Her nature is described as friendly, intelligent, easy to hold and entertaining. Small stature fainting goats can also be raised as pets.

The goat breed is named after the muscle hereditary disease Myotonia congenita Thomsen , in which the skeletal muscles are subjected to a strong and involuntary contraction and then cannot relax immediately. If an animal is frightened, it is convulsing and falls in a swoon like (English to faint ) state to the ground. The goat stretches its legs and remains motionless. This state lasts for about ten seconds. The Fainting Goat gets up completely normally again after this attack, in which she does not lose consciousness.

Fainting goats are also bred for meat production, but this is relatively rare due to their small size.

origin

The exact origin of the Fainting Goat is not considered to be certain. It appeared in Marshall County , Tennessee in the early 19th century . The first specimens were reportedly owned by a farmer named Jon Tinsley, who sold the animals to a Dr. H. H. Mayberry who began to breed the breed.

The Fainting Goat should also have been used in flocks of sheep to save the sheep from natural enemies by falling over and “sacrificing” the goat while the flock was able to flee.

Fainting Goat Festival

In Marshall County , the Fainting Goat-Festival is held annually in October. The festival is focused on the domestic goat breed and is accompanied by performances by music groups, some shows and other activities.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b D. Phillip Sponenberg, Barbara Roberts: Myotonic Goat Description, 2005. In: Myotonic Goat Registry. (Description of the Myotonic Goat, English)
  2. ↑ D. Phillip Sponenberg: Myotonic Goats and the mystery behind them. In: Goat-Link. May 12, 2004 (English).
  3. ↑ Homepage of the Goats Music and More Festival (English)