As a landrace breed, Tennessee Fainting Goats were always variable in size, color and marking. But selective breeding has led to the emphasis of certain traits over others. Meat producers prefer large and very heavily muscled fainters with high reproductive rates while the pet market has breeders who selectively breed for such traits as coat color, eye color, lack of horns, length of hair and miniature stature.

As breeders, we are committed to raising our fainters in an environment as close as possible to the one in which this breed originated. We are fortunate to have enough acreage to provide a diet of browse and pasture for our goats. Grain is reserved as a supplement to does during the last stages of pregnancy and during nursing.

Our foundation stock was purchased from Edd Bissell of New Market, TN. Edd was one of the first people to "re-discover" the breed thirty years ago and had a major role in reviving its popularity. Edd's herd was gathered from several old Tennessee herds and the individuals selected for our foundation stock reflect the diversity inherent in traditional lines.

We strive to maintain genetic diversity by the occasional addition of carefully selected bucks and does to our herd. Other than that, our herd is closed.

We do engage in selective breeding, within limits. The major component of our breeding program is for parasite resistance.  Each animal is regularly screened for anemia caused by worms using the FAMACHA system and we worm only the most anemic. Animals which consistently do not require worming are the ones we select for breeding. In this way, we feel confident in offering stock that have been bred for worm resistance.

We also selectively breed some of our stock for small stature. It was sheer accident that led us to select as our future foundation buck a buckling who would mature to only 19 inches at the withers. Responding to the increasing popularity of Mini fainters, we selectively breed Billy to our smaller does.

Other than that, the rest of our bucks and does and their kids are of standard size and conformation. We maintain a wide variety of coat colors and lengths, we have both horned and polled goats as well as some blue eyed ones.

Our breeding stock is pure bred. All are registered with the Myotonic Goat Registry (www.myotonicgoatregistry.com). Most are also registered with the International Fainting Goat Association (www.faintinggoat.com).

As pedigrees become increasingly important in the fainting goat world, the Myotonic Goat Registry has the distinct advantage of a computerized database which allows the genetics of registered animals to be easily tracked.

Raising sheep in coyote, bobcat and black bear country isn't easy. But add to that a herd of goats which stiffen and fall over when they're frightened and you're looking at a predator smorgasbord. Our pastures are fenced and cross- fenced with woven wire with electric wires at the top and bottom, but it's the livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) that let us sleep at night. These dogs have been bred over centuries to bond with livestock and to protect them from predators.

We've got three breeds of livestock guardian dogs:
Great Pyrenees (http://www.bountifulfarm.com/Greatpyrs.htm),
Anatolian Shepherd Dogs (http://www.anatolianshepherd.com)
and Karakachans.