These are one of the few goat breeds indigenous to American soil. This breed of goats has many names from the Tennessee fainting goats and the stiff-leg goats, to the nervous goats and the fall-down goats. You may wonder about these unusual names. In a frightened state, these goats lock up or fall over and lie very stiff for a few seconds (myotonia). What’s even more interesting is that this type of involuntary muscle reaction may produce more tender meat. These animals are non-seasonal breeders also capable of producing three kiddings in two years. Does are easy kidders, good quality mothers and milk producers. The breed is very muscular and meaty and has great potential for crossbreeding with new improved breeds such as Boer and Kiko. The fainting trait comes from a recessive gene and is not expressed in crossbreeds.

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