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So, What is a Myotonic?
This is a typical position for a Myotonic goat during a myotonic episode. As you can see, the term "fainting" goat is a misnomer since the goat never loses consciousness. As kids get older they learn a little more control and can sometimes prevent themselves from falling over by bracing their legs out and away from their body. Young kids are always looking for an excuse to be excited and can go stiff in a mid-air jump, landing with a thump and a bounce, only to rise a few seconds later to shake it off and go bounding away.
Many people are familiar with the term "fainting goat" or "stiff-leg" which, in truth, describes the inherited neuro-muscular condition, myotonia congenita, not the breed itself. Myotonia has been documented in goats whose heritage was less than 1/50th Myotonic, although the condition doesn't generally occur in those with less than 50% Myotonic parentage. The condition of myotonia can occur in most any goat breed or combination of breeds and is also known to have occurred in other species including, horses, rats, and humans. This condition causes the goat to stiffen and sometimes fall over when startled or excited, but is painless as the goat remains fully conscious for the few seconds it remains stiff. Myotonia is displayed in varying degrees from marked to minimal. It in no way affects the goat's normal life span, which can be 12-15 years with proper care.
The fullblood Myotonic has a naturally gentle character, is easily contained, and won't generally search out escape routes which makes them excellent pets. They are hardy, self-sufficient, and come in a wonderful variety of colors and color combinations other than the most well-known coloration of black & white. Does are generally exceptional mothers, easy kidders, with plenty of milk "on-demand". They are year 'round breeders with twins and triplets the norm at kidding time.
Limited studies have been conducted on the Myotonic breed, but these few studies have aided breeders by helping them recognize differences which set this breed apart from most others. Research from Virginia State and Virginia Tech universities indicate that Myotonics tend to have higher parasite resistance than other breeds. This doesn't mean that ALL Myotonics fall under this umbrella, as prior breeding and cross-breeding would affect this trait.
Another recognized trait of the Myotonic is their ability to utilize their feed more efficiently than many other breeds. They are able to sustain growth and maintain their body weight on less feed and forage due to their excellent ability to extract the maximum nutrition from what they eat. They have a moderate growth rate. Kids are 5 1/2-7 pounds at birth growing rapidly until they are weaned. Then they have a slow but steady growth rate after weaning which aids them in building up muscle and meat, avoiding fat deposits which are found in many other faster-growing breeds. Most Myotonics reach their maximum frame size by the age of 2, continuing to add muscle and bulk up to the age of 4.
Other studies show that Myotonics are an excellent breed to cross with other breeds for commercial meat production. The regular stiffening and contracting of the muscles results in a naturally heavier musculature and also has been shown to result in a more tender end product, making the Myotonic more of "gourmet" goat than your run-of-the-mill meat goat. Dr. Lou Nuti, a prominent goat research scientist at Prairie View A&M University's International Goat Research Center, has completed studies and research which prove a 6% - 10% greater meat yield is achieved by using a Myotonic buck on other-breed does. Another study from Virginia State University provides research that reveals a meat-to-bone ratio in Myotonics to be significantly higher than other breeds as well.
The TexMaster™, a breed created by Suzanne Gasparotto of Onion Creek Ranch, was developed to meet the needs of commercial buyers wanting a prime grade carcass with higher muscle mass and less waste. The TexMaster™ is a composite breed combining the heavy muscling of the larger TMG™ Myotonics with a bit of Boer, providing a superior meat goat with more rear muscling than the majority of other breeds, while utilizing less feed input and overall management when compared to other breeds and crosses.
Here are examples of an OCR TexMaster™ doe and buck. 
Today there are significant size differences within the Myotonic breed. Most common is the small to medium-sized, small-boned Myotonic bred specifically for the pet industry. The original Myotonics are small to average size with good bone size and musculature, some of which are used as dual purpose meat and milk type animals. Here at CartAngel Acres we specialize in the larger, heavier Myotonics, the Myotonic Meat Goat™, and Tennessee Meat Goats™, which are taller with significant bone and additional muscle mass. Examples below are, consecutively, a pet type doe at 60 pounds, a young meat-type doe who matured to 110 pounds, and a young adult TMG™ doe weighing in at 135 lbs.
Myotonics come in a colorful variety of sizes, with longer hair and blue eyes a recent addition to our bloodlines. They make wonderful, gentle pets as well, and are bred for production and hardiness with a less intense style of management. Whether you need show stock, quality breeding animals, pets for your children or hobby farm, or a heavy duty herd sire for your commercial herd, we probably have a goat for you!