Storey's Guide to Raising Dairy Goats, 4th Edition : Breeds, Care, Dairying, Marketing

With minimal space and housing needs, dairy goats are a practical choice for the small or backyard dairy farmer. Dairy goats require a smaller investment than Cows and produce easily digested milk that is much in demand for making yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products. The revised and updated fourth edition includes: * Updated information on disease diagnosis and treatment * Tips on choosing pygmy breeds * Expanded coverage of breeding, kidding, and raising kids * More information on milking, dairying, and cheesemaking * Expanded resource section "This book will give answers and help novice goat owners get started. It can also be used by established goat owners wanting a reference in an easy-to-read format." -- John D. Howland, American Goat Society, Inc. From The Back Cover: Minimal Space And Housing Needs Make Goats A Practical Choice For Small Or Backyard Dairy Farmers, And Storey's Guide To Raising Dairy Goats Is The One Book Farmers Need To Raise Healthy, Productive Animals. This Comprehensive And Reassuring Guide Includes Complete Instructions For Turning Your Goat Milk Into Profitable Cheese, Yogurt, Kefir, And Butter. The Revised And Updated Fourth Edition Includes: Updated Information On Disease Diagnosis And Treatment; Tips On Choosing Pygmy Breeds; Expanded Coverage Of Breeding, Kidding, And Raising Kids; More Information On Milking, Dairying, And Cheesemaking; Expanded Resource Section. 1: Basic Information About Goats -- Basic Terms -- Goat Myths And Truths -- Little History -- Breeds Of Goats -- Selecting A Breed -- So, You Want A Goat? -- 2: All About Goat Milk -- How Much Milk? -- Discovering A New Taste -- Goat Milk As Medicine -- Exploding More Goat-milk Myths -- Goat Milk Vs Cow Milk -- Raw Milk Vs Pasteurized -- 3: Getting Your Goat -- Beginning Your Search -- Terms To Learn -- Which Goat Is Best For You? -- Spotting A Good Goat -- Assessing A Goat's Worth -- Getting Your Goat Home -- 4: Housing Your Goats -- Ideal Housing -- Size Requirements -- Manger -- Gates And Latches -- Other Considerations -- Final Thoughts -- 5: Fencing -- How Much Is Necessary? -- What Kind Of Fence? -- 6: Feeding -- Long And The Short Of It -- Digestive System -- Basic Nutritional Requirements -- Formulating A Goat Ration -- Science And Art Of Feeding -- 7: Grooming -- Hoof Care -- Disbudding -- Dehorning -- Tattooing -- Hair Care -- 8: Health -- Health: The Natural State --^ Finding And Using A Veterinarian -- How To Tell If Your Goat Is Sick -- A-to-z Guide To Common Health Problems -- Don't Expect To Be A Goat Doctor -- 9: Buck -- Reasons Not To Keep A Buck -- Reasons To Keep A Buck -- Improving The Breed -- Choosing A Buck -- Living With A Buck -- Caring For The Buck -- 10: Breeding -- Milking Through -- Preparing For Breeding -- Successful Breeding -- 11: Kidding -- Anticipating The Delivery -- Birth -- Caring For The Newborns -- 12: Raising Kids -- Early Feeding -- Weaning -- Castration -- 13: Milking -- Milking Essentials -- How To Make A Folding Milking Stand -- Facilities: A Milking Parlor Or In-barn Milking -- Preparing To Milk -- Milking Procedure -- Milk Handling -- Cleaning Your Equipment -- 14: Keeping Records -- Basic Barn Record -- Figuring Out Costs -- Capital Costs And Operating Expenses -- 15: Chevon -- Market For Chevon -- Slaughtering And Butchering -- 16: Dairy Products -- Preserving Milk For Future Needs -- Cheese Making -- Yogurt --^ Kefir -- Koumiss -- Butter -- Cultured Buttermilk -- 17: Recipes For Goat Products -- Recipes For Goat Milk -- Cooking Chevon -- Soap Making With Goat Milk -- Appendixes -- A: Where Milk Comes From -- B: Somatic Cell Counts -- C: Composition Of Milk -- D: Giving Injections -- E: Immunizations -- F: Goat-keeping Calendar: Plotting Tasks For A Year -- G: Making And Feeding Silage -- Resources -- Glossary -- Index. Jerry Belanger & Sara Thomson Bredesen. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 280) And Index. A great choice for the small or backyard farmer, dairy goats require a smaller investment than cows and produce milk that makes delicious yogurt and cheese. This fourth edition includes more on pygmy goats, health care, breeding, and making dairy products. You'll have everything you need to you need to know to successfully raise your own dairy goats.