A domestic goat is rightfully considered one of the oldest animals. For more than a thousand years, people have been using her milk, meat and wool. In the past, the animal was wild, but then it was tamed and made domestic. But in a wide variety of breeds, the Myotonic, which the people call fainting goats, deserve special attention. I wonder why? The fact is that, experiencing fear or nervous stress, the animal immediately loses consciousness.
After so many years, this variety is still popular in the USA and is successfully used in the agricultural industry. True, today the swooning goat is on the verge of extinction, and now its content is more decorative than practical.
An incomprehensible feature
The breed has become domestic and very interesting for scientists who do not succeed in fully exploring this phenomenon. Yes, they know that fainting is a consequence of a genetic disease that is inherited and appears in every second generation. But what caused the mutation and the myotonia themselves is not clear.In addition, attempts to cross the representatives of this rare species with others leads to one result of the appearance of goats that tend to faint.
In order to prevent the extinction of unique animals, in 1989 the international organization for the protection of Myotonic goats was registered. They set themselves two tasks: to save the population and clearly define the standards of the species, according to which it is possible to breed them.
Causes of loss of consciousness
All experiences end in a swoon
Gene mutation that provokes short-term paralysis of limbs with certain circumstances, deprives the individual’s ability to move for several seconds. The goat falls on its back or side, and after some time, gets back on its feet, as if nothing had happened.
What provokes strange attacks? There are several main reasons:
- the appearance of your favorite food in large quantities;
- sympathy for a member of the opposite sex;
- fear of a predator or other danger;
- fright from a vehicle traveling at high speed;
- fear of an aggressive person.
Simply put, any strong experience and goat swoon. Is it dangerous for the animal? Directly no.They do not understand what is happening to them, although at the time of the fall they are conscious. Just a sudden loss of muscle control can happen anywhere and anytime, which means landing will be on a variety of objects. And this carries a health risk. And, indeed, they have injuries and bruises. Especially if the animal falls right on the run, tumbling and turning over. But this is not clear, no serious injuries have been recorded with any of the goats. And this means that the breed is miraculously protected from the consequences. This is another mystery to inquisitive learned minds. Who knows, who knows, but they definitely have something to think about.
Appearance matters
In the homeland, a swooning goat is called a wooden, and less often a nervous and hard leg. Outwardly pretty impressive size. Exceeds its counterparts in volumes of 40 percent. In height, it reaches almost 70 cm, and its weight ranges from 70 kg in females to about 100 kg in males. And this is definitely one of the main reasons to engage in their breeding. The breed is considered more meat than dairy, and legends go about the taste of meat. Outwardly, it has an even profile and large eyes on the roll-out.
Its long and short wool is valued for excellent quality, and the most popular color is black and white, and in rare cases it can be different. A calm disposition with sloth adds to the popularity of the mind, because it simplifies care and maintenance.Other goats are more mobile and constantly strive to break free from their places of detention and are not given to milk and get a haircut. But not a swooning goat. Breeders are happy to note her complaisance and meekness. So there is no special trouble with her.
Cruel Texas farmers came up with a trick and began to use the breed’s features for their own purposes. One Myotonic goat is planted for a whole herd. What for? Everything is simple. Seeing the danger to life in the face of a predator, the animal paralyzes, and it falls to the ground. The rest scatter in different directions, and in the meantime, while the “bait” is swooning, the wolf freely approaches her. The finished victim is distracting and makes it unnecessary to run on. So it is possible to save a large herd at the cost of the life of one individual. It sounds bloodthirsty, but a similar practice takes place and is considered a profitable way to protect a large number of individuals by losing only one.
Unconscious goats, despite their rarity and unusualness, are all the same ordinary pets. What caused the violation in the genes and why it is so strong that science does not yet know how to be invincible even by selection. But is this the main thing? Unpretentiousness and high taste qualities of meat is what is most important in them. And even if no one ever learns the nature of the phenomenon, the main thing is to preserve the look for future generations. Let them be surprised and touched, continuing the baton of breeding and preserving the population.
