# Welcome Fat Little Fainter!



## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 12, 2012)

I just brought home a 10 week old Fainting buckling. He's so cute, and pudgy! He's my first meat goat so I was curious if anyone else had tips for first time meat goat owners.

His mom had the long, silky coat. His father was just sold so I have no idea about him. With those little curls you see, do you think he'll have long hair? Also, the breeder said he faints at feeding time when he gets excited. Since I brought him home a few hours ago, he didn't faint. Even when the llama came up to check him out, no fainting. Do you think he should have fainted? I hope the breeder wasn't lying and saying that he faints when he doesn't. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

I plan on breeding him to a LaMancha next year. Do you think the kids will be "meaty" enough for meat goat seekers to want to buy?


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Feb 12, 2012)

Cute where did you purchase?


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## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 12, 2012)

A woman with a herd in WV. She still has his mom available for sale. She said that his mom does not faint. If you are interested, I can give you her info! From Thurmont to her would be maybe 1.5 hours.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Feb 12, 2012)

I was wondering because Whitemore Farms is near Emmitsburg, MD and they raise fainters for meat.  Also Peachick is in Taneytown MD and she has Fainters but is breeding for long silkie hair.  Just curious where you purchased.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 12, 2012)

I wish I could buy Kat's goats! Can't afford them, both money and time wise! I barely have time to do my hair, let alone the goats'!


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## Mamaboid (Feb 12, 2012)

Not all Fainters faint.  Some, like my Elsie, just stiffen in the hind legs when they get startled or excited.  Some, like my Eli, fall over if you look at them wrong.  As a general rule, they will faint less as they grow older.  You never know what will set them off either.  Sometimes things that you think will make them go don't even phase them, other times just something silly as a bird flying too low over their head will make them go.  They are wonderful goats.  Congrats on your new guy.  BTW, I have a doeling and a buckling for sale here in PA.


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## SmallFarmGirl (Feb 12, 2012)

he looks like he's a kid! Will he stay that way? Are you planning on breeding everlasting young goats? 
I want one!  Joking! He is cute.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 12, 2012)

My guy is a level 5. He does faint, especially at feeding time. His mom didn't faint, though I don't know what level she was.

And where are you in PA with the doeling?


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## Mamaboid (Feb 12, 2012)

AdoptAPitBull said:
			
		

> My guy is a level 5. He does faint, especially at feeding time. His mom didn't faint, though I don't know what level she was.
> 
> And where are you in PA with the doeling?


Northeast...if you look on a map, find Wilkes Barre then go west and find Williamsport, we are dead center between them  Sullivan County.  The area we are in is called the Endless Mountains.

Elsie is a level 1, she just stiffens...Eli is a level 8 on a 1-6 scale.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 12, 2012)

Oh OK, I know where that is. I grew up in Pottsville.


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## Mamaboid (Feb 13, 2012)

AdoptAPitBull said:
			
		

> Oh OK, I know where that is. I grew up in Pottsville.


My husband has relatives, distant cousin, in Pottsville.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 13, 2012)

Ha! Maybe we're related! My whole family lives there.

I found out I have some crazy very distant cousins here in WV. Thankfully they wouldn't know me because of my married name. I'm glad because they apparently like to show up at your door and stay for a week. I'd just put 'em to work out on the farm. That'd make them leave pretty quick! lol

Since I'm obviously very new to Myotonics, I was wondering if breeding two Level 5-6 goats would produce all kids with those levels, or if the genetics are a bit more complicated. If I'm going to sell the kids, I figure the more they faint, the more attractive they'll be as pets vs. dinner.


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## Pearce Pastures (Feb 13, 2012)

AdoptAPitBull said:
			
		

> I just brought home a 10 week old Fainting buckling. He's so cute, and pudgy! He's my first meat goat so I was curious if anyone else had tips for first time meat goat owners.
> 
> His mom had the long, silky coat. His father was just sold so I have no idea about him. With those little curls you see, do you think he'll have long hair? Also, the breeder said he faints at feeding time when he gets excited. Since I brought him home a few hours ago, he didn't faint. Even when the llama came up to check him out, no fainting. Do you think he should have fainted? I hope the breeder wasn't lying and saying that he faints when he doesn't. Guess I'll have to wait and see.
> 
> ...


He is so cute!  Is his fur wavy?   I love it!


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## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 13, 2012)

The fur on his topline is. It's apparently a default for the breed, but I don't care. He's a big ball of fluff!


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## Mamaboid (Feb 13, 2012)

AdoptAPitBull said:
			
		

> Ha! Maybe we're related! My whole family lives there.
> 
> I found out I have some crazy very distant cousins here in WV. Thankfully they wouldn't know me because of my married name. I'm glad because they apparently like to show up at your door and stay for a week. I'd just put 'em to work out on the farm. That'd make them leave pretty quick! lol
> 
> Since I'm obviously very new to Myotonics, I was wondering if breeding two Level 5-6 goats would produce all kids with those levels, or if the genetics are a bit more complicated. If I'm going to sell the kids, I figure the more they faint, the more attractive they'll be as pets vs. dinner.


The genetics do determine how much they faint.  For example, a 1 who never faints and a 6 who faints very easily would be most likely to have a 3 or 4.  Not set in stone, but law of averages.  I have 3 adult fainters, Elsie is a 1.  Eli as said before is about an 8.  Dude is a heavy 4 maybe a 5.  I can share my limited experience.  I want to be able to tell they are fainters, BUT..... when they faint because their foot slips on the ramp to their bed, when they fall over because a bird flies overhead too close, when they fall over because they are playing with the other buck in the field and get excited...it gets to be a pain in the ..............neck.  Eli has enormous horns, he falls over and his horns stick in the ground and he cannot get up because when he tries and feels the tip of his horn in the ground it scares him and he faints again before he can get up.  I will NEVER knowingly buy any thing higher than a 5 on the scale and will lean toward the 4 side.  To me that is the best of the trait.  It gives you the uniqueness of the Fainter goat without the problems.  You also need to take into consideration that along with the fainting,
comes some stiffness in the limbs, mostly hind legs.  Eli's back legs are so stiff that he has trouble getting up and down. He cannot get into all but one of our huts because he cannot climb the ramp.
 Now we are only talking about a 3 year old goat here, so he is looking forward to hopefully many years of life yet.  That is a long time to have limited mobility.  Don't get me wrong, when there is a doe in heat, he can move.  But he pays for it.  I am breeding for 3-5 on the scale, which is where I should be with my new babies.  We may keep the buckling, depending on what his fainting factor seems to be at the time we need to make the wether decision.  Also, they usually faint less as they get older...but again, Eli seems to be the exception to that rule.
Hmmm I just read back over this and decided that Eli is just a weird goat. I wish you good luck, and if you have any more questions feel free to ask.  I am no expert by any means, but I am learning all the time and I have researched these goats until I dream about them.  Oh and they do cause G.A.S.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 13, 2012)

I definitely have GAS with my LaManchas. The earless wonders are just to die for. I love their milk and can't wait for them to pop so I can get some more!

So far this little guy, Gumba, doesn't seem to faint at the drop of a hat or be impaired in any way by his fainting. He looks a bit stiff in the butt area when he walks, but can sure run when there's something good in front of him! I've only had him about a day and look forward to learning more about the breed as he ages!


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## Mamaboid (Feb 13, 2012)

meanwhile, here are some sites that I have found some good info on.

http://www.myotonicgoatregistry.net/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/nov/05/fainting-goats-explained

http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/myotonicgoats.html

http://www.goatspots.com/rfaintingfarm.html

I have a Nubian I cannot wait to milk.  She is (hopefully) bred for delivery mid May.  Her kids will be Nubian/Fainter and should also be pretty good milkers.  I am going to try milking my Fainter doe, Elsie as soon as these triplets get a little bigger.  Right now they are taking all she can handle.  Fainters are not great milkers, but this one has a beautiful udder and workable teats, so I am going to give it a go.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 13, 2012)

I plan on breeding Gumba to my LaMancha with the worst udder next year. Going to use my Manchie buck to breed the best udders like I did this year. I'm hoping that breeding Gumba to the worst LaMancha will make a bigger, meatier goat that will appeal to meat people over dairy people. I have a runt LaMancha that I could never, ever part with, so I think I may breed Gumba to her next year because I don't think she's a superb LaMancha specimen. This way I can still milk her and keep her, while she still produces kids for me. I know a 50/50 won't faint, but that's OK for me.


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