Posted by Dinah on January 9, 2009, at 9:13:05
In reply to Re: Fainting goats, posted by seldomseen on January 9, 2009, at 2:25:56
Perhaps it's my background in dogs. They've got wonderful genetic tests now that help us breed out problems that formerly we had to guess at based on pedigrees.
I've been trained in my bones to avoid breeding health problems. (Although I currently have a bracephalic (sp?) breed of dog, and sometimes have to wonder how wise it is to breed for that. She has an awful time in heat). I know that certainly enough problems exist in dogs anyway, and I've been on the heartbreaking side of that too.
The link I had said this about it:
To accompany herds: Since a fainting goat would fall over or be reduced to a hobble following a fright, many farmers saw them as an excellent form of protection for sheep herds. If a predator such as a wolf or coyote were to attack the herd, the non-myotonic animals could run away, leaving behind any fainting goats either immobilized or hobbled by the fright. The herd would escape and the predators would focus on the easiest kill. But this use has largely fallen out of practice, and the degree to which it was actually used is uncertain.
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/fainting-goat2.htm
Wikipedia says they originated in Tennessee in the early 1800's with a farmer who brought down goats with the condition from Nova Scotia.
But I think I'd still feel sorry for goats bred to be goat sacrifices to the wolves because of health problems. :)
PETA and the Humane society don't have a problem with it, so I shouldn't either I suppose. But all my training makes me feel very uneasy about it.
I first heard about them years and years ago from neighbors of a fainting goat breeder who were having kittens. They were horse breeders I think, and were probably trained the same way I was.
poster:Dinah
thread:872661
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20081222/msgs/872940.html