Dairy goats have long been considered an important source of income for rural populations, providing the opportunity for profitable and sustainable diversity for small farms. Their importance is also increasing in intensive feeding systems and in large farms. They are highly adaptable due to their unique feeding habits and have become popular livestock animals in a range of environments, from temperate grasslands to subtropical, semi-arid and mountainous areas. Moreover, goat milk products are finding a growing acceptance in the world market and research has increased in feeding strategies for improved productivity and quality. Examining all aspects of dairy goat feeding and nutrition, this book represents a long awaited review of recent scientific research and updated techniques. Chapters discuss aspects such as the modelling and production of goat's milk as well as the estimation of nutrient requirements and food intake of goats.

This best-selling handbook is packed with detailed information on housing, feeding, and fencing dairy goats. It’s been the trusted resource on the topic for farmers and homesteaders since it was originally published in 1975, and the new edition — completely updated and redesigned — makes Storey’s Guide to Raising Dairy Goats more comprehensive and accessible than ever. In-depth sections explain every aspect of milking, including necessary equipment, proper hand-milking techniques, and handling and storing the milk. New color illustrations show each stage of kidding, and substantial chapters on dairy goat health and breeding include the most up-to-date research and practices.

Covers feeding, housing, breeding, milking and more.

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.

The Dairy Goat Handbook explains everything goat keepers need to know about their animals, from the best ways to keep them healthy to methods for making delicious goat cheese. The Dairy Goat Handbook is a guidebook for those who would like to raise dairy goats - or dream of raising dairy goats—and want to know how to begin and maintain a successful herd. There are other books on the business of keeping dairy goats, but none quite like this. Written by a dairy goat farmer, this guide combines a deep knowledge of the animals themselves with fifteen years of experience running a successful business. Fully illustrated with photographs of life on a working dairy farm—the goats, the farm, the dairy equipment, and the cheese and milk—this book explains as well as celebrates the life of a dairy goat farmer. The author, Ann Starbard, owns Crystal Brook Farm in Sterling, Massachusetts, where she and her husband raise dairy goats and make fresh goat cheese that they sell onsite, at farmers' markets, and at restaurants. Ann explains the details of raising goats and running a dairy in simple, clear, easy-to-understand language; this is a book for everyone interested in the business of raising dairy goats.

This book provides every detail you could possible need to become a dairy goat breeder and farmer. You will learn how goats are raised for different purposes, including as dairy goats, fiber goats, and as a means to maintain property. You will learn how to select the right breed of goat and how to know what to look for in a specific goat. You will also learn to breed goats, including how to care for the mother, how to wean the kids, and the care the kid will need once it is born. You will learn how to properly house goats and what they require from you to remain healthy and happy, both with their feed and their space. --