Meat Goats : Their History, Management and Diseases

NEW EDITION RELEASED DECEMBER 2006. 288 PAGES PACKED WITH INFORMATION. TWO NEW CHAPTERS. Nineteen chapters and 11 Appendices discuss the history of the meat goat, management, getting started in the goat business, goat selection and record keeping, facilities, feeders and fencing, handling systems, nutrition, grazing management, routine procedures, kid production, diseases, artificial insemination, embryo transfer, showing, guard animals, herding dogs, healthy and delicious meat and many other topics. Appendix X: Can Sheep and Goats be Raised Together? and XI: My Mother was right! Processed Foods are Bad for You (and Your Animals!) and can be Poisonous! are new. Appendix XI contains information on preventing and coping with various errors that can be made by nutritionists and feed mills. Meat Goats, their History, Management and Diseases has been written especially for North Americans whose interest in raising goats for their healthful and delicious meat (chevon) has burgeoned in the past decade. Prior to this time, only a relatively small number of farmers and ranchers in this part of the world raised goats - mostly Angoras in Texas (for mohair) or milk goats (for their especially digestible milk products) - although 'Spanish' or 'brush' goats have long been a presence in the South (particularly in Texas). Since goats are not indigenous to this continent, the authors of this book have discussed the pros and cons of recent imports (such as the Boer and Kiko) as well as the more established 'Spanish' goat. [9 breeds in all have been considered.] The authors have not only set down their opinions and experiences but have cited those of recognized goat experts worldwide.