We are happy to announce our new addition of the following Goat Breeds ~
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Fainting
Silky Fainting
Nigerian Dwarf
Nigora (Nigerian Dwarf/Angora Cross)
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We will be breeding these specific breeds in Spring of 2020. You may click on the specific breed above to see what is available For Sale.
Below is information on each specific breed to be sure it is the right breed for you
To view our Goats, please click on the specific breed name below ~
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Fainting Goats -
Myotonic goats are known as “fainting goats” because when something surprises or frightens them, their muscles go stiff for a short time, and they fall over! They’re also known as wooden-leg goats, stiff-leg goats, scare goats, and other funny nicknames.
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The reaction doesn’t hurt, and it’s not really fainting. Usually the animal stays awake and just bounces back up once the stiffness goes away. The locking up is caused by a rare genetic disorder called Myotonia Congenita. It makes the goats’ skeletal muscles, especially in their back legs, suddenly tighten up and then slowly loosen again. Lots of other animals can have this condition too, including people, horses, dogs, cats, and mice.
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Myotonic goats first appeared in the U.S. in the 1880's, but no one is sure how the breed got started. One explanation is that a natural mutation in a Tennessee goat herd created the gene that causes the stiffness. Another is that a farm worker named John Tinsley brought four of the goats to Marshall County, Tennessee, from Nova Scotia, Canada. About a year later, a Dr. H.H. Mayberry bought them and raised a bigger herd. He sold the kids to nearby farmers, and after a while “Tennessee fainting goats” spread across the South. Bigger fainting goats were bred in Texas starting in the 1930's.
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Did you know there’s even an official scale of stiffness for fainting goats? A goat that’s rated “1” has never actually been seen to lock up, while one rated “6” is always a little bit stiff and easily topples over when startled.
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Fainting goats are bred for meat and milk, but some people keep these tipsy critters as pets. They’re less likely to escape than other goats — not necessarily because of the fainting, but because they aren’t good at jumping or climbing.
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Silky Fainting -
The Mini Silky breed was developed in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s by crossing Tennessee Fainting Goats with long-haired Nigerian Dwarf stock. Because fainting goats figure heavily in their backgrounds, most Mini Silkies exhibit varying degrees of Myotonia, a muscle condition that causes them to stiffen or fall over when startled or overly excited. However, not all faint, but carry a gene for Myotonia that will likely express itself in future generations. Mini Silkies are not required to faint, since breeders are primarily focused on producing a certain physical appearance rather than fainting ability.
Bred to resemble a Silky Terrier, Mini Silkies should have long flowing body coats, bangs, muffs on their cheeks, beards, and abundant hair on their necks and chests that blends with the body coat. Coats should have high luster and a silky texture, sparkling when they catch the sunlight. They seem to know this, by the way, based on how they strut around as if they're God's gift to the opposite sex. Confidence is never lacking with these buggars. Bucks typically have more body coat and heavier bangs than does, though does often seem more elegant as a result. Ideally, bucks measure 23.5 inches at the withers, with 22.5 inches being ideal for does.
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Nigerian Dwarf -
The Nigerian Dwarf goat was brought to the United States in the 1950's. Since then, these little goats have been used as both milk production and companionship animals.
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Nigerian Dwarf goats are known for their even tempers and gentle, playful personalities. Due to this, they have made a name for themselves as a great family pet. They are easily trainable and wonderful with children, making them attractive to youth or first-timers participating in 4-H or FFA clubs. Their personalities also make them perfect service animals for nursing homes and hospitals.
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They are hardy animals that thrive in almost any climate and due to their size, require less space to graze and play than full-size dairy goats. They are also very adaptable, able to live comfortably with other livestock such as cattle, horses, llamas, and donkeys.
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These goats may be small in size but they require lots of room to play and explore. Their living areas need to include "toys" such as tree stumps, rocks, and other large climbing structures that they can entertain themselves with.
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For many people, the appeal of the Nigerian Dwarf goat is the combination of their milking ability and compact size. When milking, they produce between three and four pounds of 6% to 10% butterfat milk per day. What makes Nigerian Dwarf goats unique as milking goats is that their milk is higher in protein than milk from most dairy goat breeds. The higher percentage of butterfat also gives their milk a rich, sweet taste that can't be beat.
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​Angora -
The Angora goat originated in the district of Angora in Asia Minor. The Angora dates back prior to early biblical history. Mention is made of the use of mohair at the time of Moses, which would fix the record of the Angora some time between 1571 and 1451 B.C., according to the Angora Goat Mohair Industry publication from USDA (Miscellaneous Bulletin 50, 1929). Mohair became a valuable product in commerce early in the nineteenth century. In order to increase the supply of mohair available for export to the European countries, the Turks crossed the Angora goat with common stock to increase the poundage of salable hair. Probably there was no effort to keep the original Angora separate, and the general increase in size and vigor of the goats in the Angora area was, no doubt, partially the result of this infusion of other blood.
Angora stock was distributed to different countries, and a pair of Angoras was imported to Europe by Charles V about 1554. In 1765 an importation was made by the Spanish government and twenty years later a considerable number were imported into France. None of these importations were successful in establishing mohair production. On the other hand, Angoras were taken to South Africa in 1838, and from this importation and later importations mohair production was established in that country. The Union of South Africa is one of the three leading mohair-producing sections in the world and is exceeded in production only by the United States and Turkey.
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The most valuable characteristic of the Angora as compared to other goats is the value of the mohair that is clipped. The average goat in the U.S. shears approximately 5.3 pounds of mohair per shearing and are usually sheared twice a year. They produce a fiber with a staple length of between 12 and 15cm.
The mohair is very similar to wool in chemical composition but differs from wool in that it is has a much smoother surface and very thin, smooth scale. Consequently, mohair lacks the felting properties of wool. Mohair is very similar to coarse wool in the size of fiber. It is a strong fiber that is elastic, has considerable luster, and takes dye very well. Mohair has been considered very valuable as an upholstering material for the making of plushes and other covering materials where strength, beauty, and durability are desired.
The market valuation of mohair fluctuates more than does that of wool, but, in general, satisfactory prices are obtained for the clip. During depressed times, the market has favored fine hair and because fine hair is normally shorn from young goats, selection for fertility has also become increasingly important.
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The Angora is very picturesque animal in which both sexes are horned. The bucks usually have a pronounced spiral to the horn, which comes back and away from the head; the horns of mature bucks sometimes reach two or more feet in length. In contrast, the horn of the female is comparatively short, much smaller, and has only a very slight tendency to spiral. The horn of the female seldom exceeds nine or ten inches. The ears are heavy and drooping.
The Angora goat is a small animal as compared to sheep, common goats, or milk goats. There is considerable variation in the size of goats, but mature bucks will usually fall in a weight range of from 180 to 225 pounds but do not reach their maximum weight until after five years of age. Does will fall in a weight range of from 70 to 110 pounds when mature.
The form of the goat should be similar to that of sheep, but the mutton characteristics are much less developed. The back should be straight, the rib well sprung, and the body deep and uniform in depth. The chest should be wide, the legs straight, and the rear quarters should show ample development.
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Nigora Goats - Produce both Milk and Fiber
Miniature goat breeds are an excellent choice for people who don’t want the hassle of handling larger animals or don’t have the amount of space and pasture they require. They also make wonderful pets because of their friendly personalities and variety of colors. Since they are usually kept in small flocks, they have been bred to be highly prolific and feed efficient, even multi-purpose breeds such as the relatively new breed, the Nigora.
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First developed in Oregon in the 1990s, the Nigora goat is a multi-purpose breed that produces both fiber and milk and is the only fiber breed that is also a dairy goat. First generation Nigoras are a cross between a Nigerian Dwarf and an Angora, usually a Nigerian buck and an Angora doe. These first crosses typically display cashgora type fleece, inheriting the crimpy down genetics from the Nigerian and the lustrous mohair genetics from the Angora.
Their milk production rivals purebred Nigerians as they tend to be larger than pure Nigerians and they can produce a variety of fleece types perfect for hand-spinners. You won’t be starting a commercial dairy or fiber mill with Nigoras, but they are the perfect choice if your goal is to supply your family with milk and fiber.
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The Nigora’s fiber comes, of course, from its Angora heritage. Angora goats produce long ringlets of lustrous fiber called mohair, which has no crimp and grows mainly from the secondary follicles. Unlike cashmere, these fibers are not wool-like and their growth surpasses the production of the primary follicle hair that would be the guard hairs protecting a woolly undercoat in cashmere goats. High quality Angoras may also produce mohair from the primary follicles, though these follicles often grow kemp or medulated fibers which are coarse fibers, undesirable in the fleece. Kid mohair can be as fine as 20 microns, with adult mohair in the 25 – 45 micron range. Fiber length, diameter and yield are all highly heritable, even so it can take several generations to develop Nigora fleece to the quality of fine mohair.
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Dairy genetics will, naturally, come mostly from the Nigora’s Nigerian Dwarf heritage. Nigerian Dwarfs produce an average of 2 quarts of milk per day, some even up to a gallon per day, and are more feed to milk efficient than standard dairy goats. Their milk also has the highest butterfat, up to 10%, of any other dairy goat breed. Milk yield and butterfat content are both moderately heritable (feed and other environmental factors play a larger role, but genetics dictates the highest potential), so selecting Nigerian bucks of superior milk lines is an effective way to ensure your Nigoras are good milk producers. Swiss type Mini-Dairy breeds (Alpine/Toggenburg/Saanen/Sable/Guernsey X Nigerian Dwarf) of sixth generation or higher can also be used instead of pure Nigerian Dwarfs, preferably those that are at least 50% Nigerian Dwarf.
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Nigoras can be either horned or disbudded as Nigerians are generally disbudded and Angoras are always left horned. Deciding whether or not to disbud may depend on whether you’re primarily after milk or fiber. In a dairy operation, horns can be a nuisance and get caught in milk stands and stanchions, but in fiber herd where goats are normally kept in open housing they can be useful as handles when it comes time for shearing. Also, Nigerian’s horns, like other dairy breed horns, grow outwards away from the head whereas Angora horns are swept back before spiraling out, making them safer and less likely to get caught. We decided to leave our Nigoras horned so that we can select for this Angora type horn. Whichever you decide, it’s best if horned and non-horned goats are not kept in the same herd as horned goats can easily injure non-horned goats who don’t have the means to defend themselves. You might also consider polled (naturally hornless) goats, a trait found in both Nigerians and Angoras, although it sometimes comes along with fertility problems.
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With the variety of genetics from these breeds, the Nigora breeder has a lot to choose from. Either white or colored Angoras can be used in Nigora breeding. White in Angoras is a dominant color, so all first generation crosses from white Angoras will be white, masking any other colors they carry. White Angoras can also carry color genetics just like colored Angoras, but it is masked by the dominant white allele. Colors may reemerge in the second generation when the dominant white allele can be knocked out. Colored Angoras come in a variety of colors and patterns. They range from solid blacks, grays, reds and browns to several striped patterns and pinto. There are also indications of a dominant black allele in colored Angoras that masks striped patterns. Black goats that throw striped kids must be carrying this dominant black, which is still recessive to white. Nigerian Dwarfs are available in all colors and patterns found in goats, including pinto, roan and the more rare moonspots. Though Nigoras are accepted in all colors found in both the Nigerian Dwarf and Angora breeds, you might want to ask yourself how much color you want in any one individual fleece.
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Nigoras, depending mostly on their Nigerian/Angora ratio, can produce three main types of fleece: type A, which is lustrous ringlets of mohair six inches or longer, type B, which is a typical cashgora type fleece, and type C, which is cashmere. Here is a more detailed rundown on each fleece type:
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Type A: Mohair grows from the same secondary follicles that produces the down in cashmere goats but the fibers are thicker and have no crimp. Its growth surpasses the abundance of the primary follicle hair, which may also exhibit mohair qualities. These primary follicles can also be the source of kemp and medulated fibers which are coarse, hollow fibers. These are the true hairs which cannot be spun into yarn, making them undesirable in the fleece. The presence of such fibers is most obvious along the spine of the goat where they may stick out. In a high quality fleece, there is no distinct difference in fibers from the primary and secondary follicles so it is considered a single coat. Because goats with this type fleece have neither insulating down nor a protective, water-shedding outer coat, they must always have adequate shelter from cold and wet weather. Mohair does not molt and must be shorn twice each year.
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Type B: This is a typical cashgora type fleece which displays the characteristics of both types A and C fleeces. It is between 3 and 6 inches long and curly with an obvious guard hair, though it may be finer than that found in cashmere goats. A third hair type may also be present, silkier
than the guard hair, but far from the quality of true mohair. The fleece overall should show luster and be soft to the touch. Color is usually a shade lighter than the true hairs, as also seen in cashmere.
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Type C: Cashmere is the soft down which grows from the secondary follicles during the winter and sheds in the spring. It is highly crimpy, tends to be lighter in color than the main coat, and can be anywhere from 1 to 3 inches long. Cashmere requires the primary follicle guard hairs to protect the down from UV light damage and contamination from VM (vegetable matter). It can be either combed out in the spring or shorn just before the molt. Combing is most common, as shearing requires the fleece to be dehaired either by hand or with a commercial dehairer. It can take up to two weeks for the entire fleece to molt and must be combed each day during this time to harvest all of it at its peak quality.