# myotonics



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

Myotonics are meat goats and have many different names. They are commonly Fainting goats, stiff leg, wooden leg, and fainters. They are known for their condition of Myotonia which is a stiffening of muscles. They may fall down when they get stiff or they may brace themselves and not fall at all. Their condition doesn't harm them at all and lasts up to about 30 seconds.

Feel free to email me about them.


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## getchagoat (Julie) (Oct 5, 2007)

I would love to have a farm full of fainters - all colors. But shh......Brad would kill me.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

They are awesome that's for sure. I like to watch them run around and get stiff...it is very funny because my doeling is the most myotonic and she got bumped into and fell over...poor girl couldn't get up.


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## Duchesse (Oct 31, 2007)

I'm interested in all miniature goats and the* myotonic goat *is classified as a *mini breed*.

Although the myotonic is considered a meat breed they cannot meet the demands of the commercial meat market. Weights at maturity can vary from 60lbs to 175lb, the latter being the "improved" animals produced by breeders especially in Texas and Tenessee. Myotonic x boer = "The Texmaster." The myotonic is also said to take 3-4 years to mature. They are too small, slow maturing and with the numbers ranging between 3000-5000 in the U.S. they are still considered rare. They seem to be good pets, are entertaining and may be good as a family homestead meat producer but that is the extent of their contribution to the goat market.


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## all1965 (Oct 6, 2007)

Within the breed to be considered a mini they have to be under 23" for does and 24" for bucks. (I think i would have to look again to make sure) 
most of mine are either mini or small
I don't like big goats and these are easy to handle, keep fenced in, and great fun.


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## Duchesse (Oct 31, 2007)

I don't like big goats either. That is why I'm interested in all mini breeds. Pgymy, Nigerian Dwarf, Myotonics, Pygora (shearing required twice a year) Mini Nubians, Kinders. My motto is "The smaller the better." I think they are especially cute when small. I will be looking for a myotonic and a Nigi for my dwarf goat collection but I'm partial to the pygmy. I like color as well. I've heard that Myotonics can mature at as little as 60lbs.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

I believe you are correct. I have a doe now that probably weighs right at 60 lbs. And she is pretty small. She isn't a mini but she isn't very big.


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## DaveyFarm (Nov 28, 2007)

I have a small herd of fainters. I must admit that 10 years before I actually had one I wanted one because they fell over...and were different.

Since we started with them about 2 years ago I've fallen in love with them. The novelty of fainting would have worn off long ago. While I love them all, the one who has absolutely kept me enjoying the goats is my buck. He's intelligent, kind, and gorgeous. He's not pushy and demanding....like my females. 

I's like to think my goats fall somewhere inbetween "meat" type, and pet type. I've heard that the Fainting goat was used to be crossed with the Boer to make a goat that was easier to handle. Is this true? I know my buck is sweet as can be(we breed off of a lead rope). Are Boer bucks much more agressive? Females harder to get a handle on?


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

Myotonic crossed with boer makes a Texmaster...but it is a certain percentage and is a secret.


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## DaveyFarm (Nov 28, 2007)

> Myotonic crossed with boer makes a Texmaster...but it is a certain percentage and is a secret.


That's what I've read. I'm not interested in the percentages, or the secrets. I'm happy with my "kids".

I was just wondering, as my only goat experinces have been with my own....

Are Boers that much more aggressive(generally speaking)?


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

No I don't think boers are more aggressive, our boers are very calm. Even our big boer buck, he's the biggest baby on the farm.


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## Shelly (Oct 5, 2007)

My experience with boers and fainter together was 2 boer wether and 1 fainter wether. The boers will came up to the fence to eat or see what you had. The fainter would alway stay back. The boers where more aggressive but in a friendly way they just wanted attention. The funny thing at fair was when we let them run around in the ring or would walk them for exercise the boers would each get on one side so that if the Forest(the fainter) would faint they would hold him up. Fainter are much quieter then boers. Every boer we had will scream for attention and food just big babies. Shelly


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## DaveyFarm (Nov 28, 2007)

Shelly,

I thought Boers were pretty mild too. There is a Boer farm down the road, and they are seem easy going...but I guess you can never tell, and each goat is different. It makes me wonder why then do they cross the 2? If the Boers mature faster etc.

My female fainters are obnoxious. They have a 2 acre field with grass, brush, weeds, prickers etc, but if it's after 3PM and they see a human.. it's on! They don't stop screaming until I let them in. Only in the cold weather, with small babies they come in the barn(they have sheds of different types to pick from). They have me trained just to their liking.


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## all1965 (Oct 6, 2007)

They cross the two because the Fainters Myotonia helps increase muscleing and I think Fainters have a lower bone to meat ratio as well. Not 100% sure on that either.

I don't have any other breed. I had pygmys for 2-3 months before I got the Fainters. I like my Fainters better. They are easy to keep in, easier to catch, and come in a variety of colors.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

all1965...you are correct on the myotonia helping with the muscling. Crossing a myotonic buck to any breed doe will give you a higher meat to bone ratio...that is the great thing about myotonics bucks for commercial herds that want a lot of meat and less bone.


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## Shelly (Oct 5, 2007)

> I thought Boers were pretty mild too. There is a Boer farm down the road, and they are seem easy going...but I guess you can never tell, and each goat is different. It makes me wonder why then do they cross the 2? If the Boers mature faster etc.


Sorry I didn't word that right. My boers have alway been like an really friendly out going kid and the fainter is more of a sweet shy kid. Never bad just different personality. I've only had one fainter and visit the breeder a few times but her place is much quieter then mine with the loud mouth sheep and boers. I'm sure other people of had different inexperience with each breed. Like everyone said the cross is for more meat/muscle. In the market class you want a square wide muscled goat. Don't know if you seen picture of the cross here a website. http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/texmastergoats.html 
Shelly


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## DaveyFarm (Nov 28, 2007)

That is a beautiful goat. Thanks for the picture, I've not seen one before.


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

there is a big artical in hobby farms about myotonics the mini myotonics the silky tenn. fainting goat and the tex masters in the nov/dec. issue.
I found it really interesting.
beth


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I see this is a year old ..but.. I wanted to respond.. :greengrin: 


> Are Boers that much more aggressive(generally speaking)?


 No..I have FB boers and they are gentle... even my bucks.....
but I do have to say... that in every breed you "may" find one that is mean or wild.... in my experience... I have had only 1 ...aggressive buck and he hit the road really fast...I have never experienced a boer doe with aggression... towards me in the boer world.....they are sweet..I love them...  :wink:


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## barnyard (Feb 10, 2009)

I agree with Toth boer goats, I love my boers, they are very sweet and mild. A good thing, since a buck can be 350 lbs or more. We have raised these for several years and have 2 boer to kid this month and one fainting goat bred to a boer about to kid. I am very interested to see what these kids (hopefully twins) look like.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

barnyard said:


> I agree with Toth boer goats, I love my boers, they are very sweet and mild. A good thing, since a buck can be 350 lbs or more. We have raised these for several years and have 2 boer to kid this month and one fainting goat bred to a boer about to kid. I am very interested to see what these kids (hopefully twins) look like.


Are you going for a mini type Boer?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I hear the mix of the boer and myotonic makes a small but hardy meat goat. I cant remember if they have an actual name this mix


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## barnyard (Feb 10, 2009)

To answer the question "Am I going for a mini boer"

Not all mytonics are considered mini's. The mytonics that the gal at Onion Creek used to devlope her goats were all over 100lbs. My fainting goat is between 75lbs and 100lbs. So what I am going for is a boer cross that bulks up faster then a pure boer. My kids enjoy showing meat goats in market shows. I am hoping that the younger kids(goats) that my younger kids (human) can handle will develope muscle faster thus giving them an edge. The trick is- the goats can't faint in the ring :slapfloor: That would certainly catch the judges eye!


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

The myotonic and boer cross is called a TexMaster :wave:


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Ok, be ready for information overload. LOL

Myotonic goats were originally discovered in the 1870's in Tennessee. No one knows where they came from before that. There is "speculation" that John Tinsley came from Nova Scotia but no evidence to prove that has ever been found, based upon any research. Like Boers, we can guess and think of what is more then likely. But there is no concrete evidence. However, it is immaterial to the history of the Myotonic breed. The defining genetic trait is a neuromuscular condition which developed naturally that causes them to stiffen and sometimes fall over when startled. These goats are called many things, Tennessee fainting goats (they do not lose consciousness, so they don't faint so this is really not a correct term), wood leg, stiff-leg, nervous, or scare goats. Out of these stiff-leg is the best to describe them. I personally will always call them what they are Myotonic Goats. Some breeders will lecture you on the "common names" I do not but remain politically correct. Myotonia is seen in other species as well.

Myotonic goats are a landrace breed, meaning they adapt to the conditions in which they live. These goats are a meat goat and very sturdy and self-sufficient. They are also not fence climbers or big jumpers. Based on this, many feel they are easier to contain.
There are truly only two totally MEAT goat breeds in this country -- Myotonics and pygmies. Every other so-called meat goat breed has significant DAIRY influence. Kiko, deriving from the Saanen. Boers, deriving from the Anglo Nubian. When you look at it, there are 3 types of goats: meat, milk, and hair/fiber. Myotonics very logically fit into the "meat" category. True meat goats do NOT have long legs. You don't eat that which is between the belly and the ground. True meat goats don't have big udders that will catch/hang/get damaged on briers and other plants in the forests/fields/forage areas. These goats are being used more in more for fiber as well.

The degree of stiffness varies within the breed, with the meatier, more muscular animals displaying more stiffness. As for percentages, they can actually faint better then some FB's. It is not the % that makes the Mytonia in a goat it is the bloodline and the gene itself and how it is carried. Some Myotonic goats will faint few times in it's lifetime based on it.

This breed is considered a medium breed but the size varies from mini to very large in size. I personally have them as small as 17in and as big as any Boer on my property. Based on this fact later these goats were "improved" by breeding the larger more muscled blood lines, this was first started with Suzzane Gasparotto at Onion Creek Ranch in Buda, Texas. These bloodlines were later named the "TENNESSEE MEAT GOAT" or "TMG".

Regardless of bloodlines or size maturity is 3 to 4 years of age. Truth be told many breeders that carry more then one of the "Meat" breeds, i.e. Boers, Kikos, and so on, as well as the Myotonic, have compared the breeds and meat production. Based on these experiences, most will tell you the have cut back on her other breeds, I know I have, because of the hardiness of the Mytonic, TMG, and Texmasters goats. They will also tell you they have had just as much meat, if not more meat come from their carcasses. So the growth weight and size does not hurt these breeds at all.

Texmasers:
The Texmaster is not a cross between a Myotoic and a Boer. It involves the TMG and there is a formula for the Texmaster. If you do not buy from Suzzane Gasparotto or Pat Cotton you will be buying from someone who did. And if they are not registered though their registry @ P.I., they are not true Texmaters. No matter the breed you have you will not have the same Texmaster as it is a formula put together by Suzzane. I am not saying the cross of these breeds are bad, as I have the same breeds here. But they are not the same as the Texmaster. They are a genetic make up of there own and the exact recipe, though you can get them elsewhere once bought from Suzzane, it lies with her still to this day. Pat is the only other person who knows this recipe and it is not perfected until the 7th generation. That is how long it takes to cross to the formula only these two breeders know and have. If you want a Texmaster goat you will get it from one of these two breeders or someone who already has, but you will never get a registered Texmaster unless it's roots and blood line was started from Suzanne herself as the registry is pattened by Onion Creek. I am not being mean I am just stating the facts on this breed as I happen to know them well.

Hope this helps,


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

I did want to add this bit of info as well.

Virginia State University revealed a meat-to-bone ratio of 4:1, higher than any other breed. In Texas Dr. Lou Nuti of Prairie View A&M University's International Goat Research Center, has done research showing a 6% - 10% higher meat yield is achieved by using a Myotonic buck on does of other breeds. According to a Texas neurologist and other researchers, this type of involuntary isometric muscle contraction could build a more tender muscle than a muscle developed by strenuous use.

Dr. D. Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, PhD awho is noted for his authority on Myotonia Congentia and Tennessee Fainting Goats says, Myotonia has been extensively studied in humans and somewhat less extensively in other species. It is an interesting condition, and is painless. The only consistent changes are the lack of muscle relaxation following contraction, and an increase in muscle mass over animals that lack the condition. The myotonic condition is strictly muscular, and does not involve the nerves or the brain.

Dr. D. Phillip Sponenberg had this to say about Myotonic Goats in 2005;

"Myotonic goats have a very distinctive breed type that is based mostly on head and body conformation. They also have a muscle condition called myotonia congenita. This inherited trait leads to an overall increase in muscle mass so that the goats are very muscular when compared to other breeds of similar size. This trait is so distinctive that it is easy to confuse the trait with the breed. However, the Myotonic goat is much more than just a myotonic condition; it has a host of other consistent traits that are very important and need to be conserved for future generations."

You can do a search and find this info as well.

Also this link is good info as well.
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/media/livesto ... s.aspx.pdf


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

interesting to read JD. thanks!


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Ok and I updated the update as well.


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## RollingHills (Sep 20, 2010)

I visited a man with Myotonics yesterday and found them both gorgeous and charming. Can anyone tell me how they are with parasite resistance? I'm dying to breed one to our Kiko/Spanish doeling when she's mature enough.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

they are hardy from what i have found after 3 yrs of raising them.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

This thread has been really interesting!!

I am becoming very interested in the myotonic meat goats but I am having a hard time finding a breeder close to me. I have found a few pet breeders but not any with goats who they think would be good meat producers. I'm in the thumb area of Michigan and would love to find someone fairly close by so i could meet their goats and see if i think they would be a good fit for me and my family/herd.

I'm thinking I will probably be in the market for a buck/buckling next spring but i don't want to have to ship him to get him here, so i want him close enough to pick him up in a day trip.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

have you checked on the myotonic goat registry site? they will deffinately add meat to your herd...im going to use a myotonic buck on my boer does to see what i can get. I will do some checking as well to see what i can find for you. I thought there were breeders up there but i could be wrong


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

http://www.themyotonicgoatregistry.com has breeders in your state. Im not sure how close they are to you though.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

alyssa_romine said:


> http://www.themyotonicgoatregistry.com has breeders in your state. Im not sure how close they are to you though.


I found several breeders on a couple of registry sites but they all had smaller pet type goats, silky coated fainters, etc. not the meat type goats.

That link takes me to godaddy.com and asks if it is my website. I tried it with .net instead and got to a website, it has some farms on it I hadn't seen before. I'm looking through them now. There is at least one farm with the type I am looking for, but it is farther away than I would like to go. But if I find the right goat it might still be manageable. Luckily I have time to look around.

Thanks!!!


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

im so sorry! i wasnt thinking when i put .com...glad you found it tho.


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Check some of the breeders around you in close states. Some will meet you or deliver for a small fee. Also some of the larger TMG Texmaster breeders register with the International Fainting Goat assiciation. You can also join Ron's list on my sale page. He or others that follow can sometimes get you in a trip that is already being run. Just some thoughts.


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## Hush Hills Fainters (Oct 27, 2010)

Well if you dont mind shipping...we are due in 17 days-ish....


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Yea, We ship too now that I think of it and will have PLENTY of meaty kids and minis on the ground starting the 15th of Feb.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

Thanks for the input everyone! I may have to put my plans on hold, new rounds of layoffs at husband's work so I may not be able to use my tax refund as planned...


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## imaginationacres (Sep 27, 2009)

I'm so excited I reserved 3 myotonic kids a pair of doelings and a buckling that will come home in March.


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Congrats on the 3 kids hope you emjoy them as much as we do.

As for Warpony or anyone for that matter. You can join the yahoo groups. There are many shows in and around that area. Many breeders are willing to bring things back from a show for folks. When you can buy. Shipping of course via airlines. There is also Ron Keener who may be able to help www.travelwithronk.com
MO has many larger herds in it. Not too far. Also remember it is the Myoyonia gene that helps make meat. So, some very short stocky heavy myotonics will still give muscle to your kids. The size on a big kid should most always be Med to Large on a smaller buck larger doe breeding.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

jdgray716 said:


> As for Warpony or anyone for that matter. You can join the yahoo groups. There are many shows in and around that area. Many breeders are willing to bring things back from a show for folks. When you can buy. Shipping of course via airlines. There is also Ron Keener who may be able to help http://www.travelwithronk.com
> MO has many larger herds in it. Not too far.* Also remember it is the Myoyonia gene that helps make meat. So, some very short stocky heavy myotonics will still give muscle to your kids. The size on a big kid should most always be Med to Large on a smaller buck larger doe breeding.*


I am so glad that I read this when you first posted it. I found a local pet type myotonic, he is smaller than what I was looking for, but his parents are almost as big in the body as my goats, just shorter and much more muscular. He is only a week old right now, but i am already both smitten and delighted with him.


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## JT3 (May 1, 2011)

Judge the national show this past weekend...was a great time.

anyone know of any BIG time breeders here in NC? guys and gals that have some legit show stuff?


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

That show and Myotonics are on the front cover and pages 5-8 of the Nov. Goat Rancher. http://www.goatrancher.com/ If you have not seen it, it is worth the read. For those who want more knowledge on the breed, it is a great article. There is also a study on the Myo carcass as well. Tractor suppy or the website will get you a copy, but for those who like a good read on goats, and goat health this is worth the subscription. I love getting mine once a month. Enjoy!!


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

As for NC breeders I am not familier with the ones listed but there are quite a few with websites on the MGR website. If you are close enough to TN there are many great breeders in that area with what you seek. I can tell you about them. Let me know...good luck.


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