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

Jerry Belanger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 3, 2010 | Series: Storey's Guide

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.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The guidance of goat raiser and author Jerry Belanger has been indispensible to new goat owners for many years, for he has been raising goats since the 1950's. He has written many books including Country Living, Homesteader's Handbook to Raising Small Livestock, Raising the Homestead Hog, and Storey's Raising Milk Goats the Modern Way. Jerry is editor and publisher of Countryside & Small Stock Journal, and lives in Waterloo, Wisconsin, with his wife Diane.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; 4 edition (December 3, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1603425802
• ISBN-13: 978-1603425803
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,345 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Medical Books > Veterinary Medicine > Food Animals
  • #8 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Agriculture
  • #18 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Agricultural Sciences > Animal Husbandry

More About the Author

In addition to writing books, Jerome (Jd, Jerry) Belanger founded and published Countryside & Small Stock Journal (1969), sheep! magazine, the original (1979) Backyard Poultry, as well as Dairy Goat Guide and Rabbit World. He was an organic farmer for several years, and a homesteader for most of his life. Today his twin passions are gardening and cooking. Now retired in northern Wisconsin, he is known locally for his 30,000 spring bulbs and extensive collection of rare and unusual conifers.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lives up to its title with practical, no-nonsense basics on all dimensions of goat care December 9, 2010

By Midwest Book Review

Format:Paperback

Written by veteran goat raiser Jerry Belanger and licensed cheesemaker Sara Thomson Bredesen, Storey's Guide to Raising Dairy Goats is now in a newly revised fourth edition, enhanced with updated information on diagnosing and treating diseases, expanded coverage on breeding, tips on pygmy goat breeds, more material on milking and cheesemaking, and an expanded resource section. Raising Dairy Goats lives up to its title with practical, no-nonsense basics on all dimensions of goat care, and is an absolute "must-have" for anyone considering a dairy goat of their own. "If you can't or won't want to milk at 12-hour intervals, even when you're tired or under the weather, or if the thought of staying home weekends and vacations depresses you and you can't count on the help of a friend or neighbor, then don't even consider raising goats." Also highly recommended is the revised and updated second edition of "Storey's Guide to Raising Meat Goats" by farmer and animal husbandry expert Maggie Sayer.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have for dairy goat owners January 26, 2011

By BeckyD

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have recently become a goat-owner and this book has been indispensable for me. I refer to it over and over, far more often than any other book I own on dairy goats and believe me, I did my research and am the proud owner of several goat books now. I really like Jerry's down-to-earth methods and his attitude about goats. I became much less "afraid" of starting on this journey after reading this book. The "barn calendar" at the end (to-do list for each month of the year) is GREAT!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars L. Leonhard December 16, 2010

By D. Leonhard

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is truly an excellent book. I have at least 10 goat books and this one is an easy read and full of great information. If you're interested in goats, you can't go wrong with this updated edition. Very practical but also interesting.