 Myotonic
Goats
A distinctly American breed, the Myotonic goat
originated in Tennessee. 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 by
various lay terms.... Tennessee fainting goats (a
misnomer, because they do not lose consciousness,
hence they don't faint), wood leg, stiff-leg,
nervous, or scare goats. The most accurate common
name is the STIFF-LEG. Myotonia is seen in other
species . . . human beings and tumbler pigeons are
but two examples.
Myotonic goats have an obscure origin. Sometime
during the 1870's a transient farm worker named
John Tinsley showed up in Marshall County,
Tennessee at the farm of Dr. H. H. Mayberry. No one
knows where he came from; he had an undetermined
accent and wore a cap similar to either a fez or
beret. He was thought to have come from Nova
Scotia, and along with him came three or four does
and a buck of a unique strain. Tinsley suddenly
left one day after selling the animals to Dr.
Mayberry. This is the best documentation of the
origin of the breed.
Myotonic goats are a distinctly landrace breed,
which means that they have adapted to fit the local
conditions in which they live. They are definitely
meat goats, being very muscular and
self-sufficient.
Sometime during the 1940's, a group of the
larger Myotonic goats was imported from Tennessee
to Texas. Boone Heep, of Austin, Texas, imported
Myotonic goats to his property. Coincidentally,
this property went through a series of owners after
his death during which time the goats were moved
off the place. I bought that property in 1988,
having no knowledge of the history of Myotonic
goats. By sheer coincidence and quirk of fate, I
began acquiring Myotonic goats, raising them, and
improving the breed... only much later to learn
that the original Texas herd of Myotonic goats
resided at my very own ranch.
Though quite sure-footed and adaptable to all
terrains, these animals are not fence climbers and
are therefore easy to keep fenced. Predator
problems are no more prevalent with this breed than
any other; all goats are subject to predators, as
they are fleet but short distance runners. Guard
animals and good fencing are essential with every
goat breed.
The degree of stiffness varies within the breed,
with the meatier, more muscular animals displaying
more stiffness. Not unlike humans who exercise and
lift weights, the constant contraction and
relaxation of the muscles build the meat
characteristics.
Myotonia congenita
is the medical term to describe stiffening; this
simply means that the condition is inherited from
prior generations. Myotonia was probably originally
the result of a genetic mutation as the
evolutionary process took place. However, myotonia
is no longer considered a defect. Myotonia occurs
in the muscle fiber... not as a function of the
central nervous system.... and causes no problem
for the goats.
Stiffening and sometimes falling over results
when the rear legs and the back of the neck are
affected by myotonia. Respiration, heart function,
and other body functions are NOT affected. It is
common to view goats shoving each other at the feed
trough, stiffening, falling over, and continuing to
eat as the body recovers from the myotonic episode!
It does not hurt them in any way whatsoever.
Myotonic goats have been "improved" by breeding
larger, more heavily muscled fullblood myotonics to
unrelated, larger, and heavily muscled myotonics at
Onion Creek Ranch in Buda, Texas. In order
to distinguish these improved myotonic goats from
the common stiff-leg,, we have named these large,
heavily muscled "improved" myotonic goats
TENNESSEE MEAT
GOATS™.
Maturity is three to four years of age in all
myotonic goats, whether they are the common
stiff-leg or the improved
TENNESSEE MEAT
GOAT™.
Myotonia is carried on an autosomal dominant
gene; autosomal means that it is
not carried on the sex
gene. Dr. Philip Sponenberg, veterinary geneticist
and researcher at Virginia Tech University in
Blacksburg, Va., has done extensive research on
myotonic goats and has provided much of the
information contained herein.
Myotonia has been observed in dogs (Chow Chows),
quarter horses, "tumbler" pigeons, mice, sheep, and
humans. Interestingly, myotonia can be induced in
humans occasionally by the use of cholesterol
lowering drugs. Myotonia has also been observed in
utero in goats.
In no way should myotonia be considered a defect
in goats.
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