If you've been dreaming about raising a family cow, or even a small herd, here's the book for you. Whether your interest is in beef or dairy farming, veteran cattle farmer Heather Smith Thomas helps you make the experience satisfying, rewarding, and even entertaining.
A single cow can provide milk or beef for a large family with plenty to spare. A small herd of cattle will get you started in the rapidly growing business of natural dairy or meat production. Whatever the scope of your cattle-farming vision, it's crucial to identify your needs and budget, and choose the proper type and breed of cattle. You've decided to raise beef cattle but do you want to begin with breeding heifers or steer to fatten for market? When it comes to dairy breeds are you better off with a less-than-perfect purebred animal or an excellent grade (unregistered) animal? These questions and every other aspect of use, conformation, disposition, and milk or meat yield and flavor are addressed in thorough detail to give even the newest farmer the confidence to choose and purchase knowledgeably.
Beyond general standards and characteristics, Thomas also discusses specific breed attributes-Jerseys, for example, produce milk richer in butterfat than other dairy cattle-and how size, color, body shape, hair length, and milking ability make each animal more or less suitable to various needs. To complement the text, full-color photographs help you identify the many choices. Beef breeds include: American Shorthorn, Angus, Beefmasters, Blonde d'Aquitaine, Braford, Brahman, Brangus, Braunvieh, Charbray, Charolais, Chiangus, Chianina, Dexter, Galloway, Gelbvieh, Hereford, Limousin, Maine Anjou, Murray Grey, Normande, Piedmontese, Pinzgauer, Polled Hereford, Red Angus, Romagnola, Santa Gertrudis, Simmenthal, Salers, Scotch Highland, Shorthorn, Tarentaise, Texas Longhorn. Dairy breeds include: Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, Jersey, Milking Devon, Milking Shorthorn, and Red and White.
With Thomas as your guide, you'll discover that successfully raising a cow for milk or for beef is easier than you might think.
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