The Farmers Mailbox

Maggie Sayer has her feet firmly planted in the earth, her head fixed in commercial reality and her heart obviously given over to her livestock. She is definitely my kind of person and her ready wit and writing style make “Storey’s Guide to Raising Meat Goats” as easy to read as it is informative. The fundamentals of managing, breeding and marketing goats are much the same the world over and although a few of the facts and figures in the book are specific to the USA, the concepts underlying them are very relevant to Australia. In its first printing, the information given is current and whilst not a veterinary compendium, the book covers the inner and outer workings of goats, common health issues and all the associated areas where many new goat breeders come to grief. Obviously a goat lover herself with many years of “hands on” experience, Sayer refrains from gilding the lily and presents each topic with refreshing honesty and objectivity, mildly spiced with amusing anecdotes and the personal experiences of a number of goat breeders. The book is a “must read” for anyone thinking about getting into goats and at the price, those who have been in the industry a while will also enjoy the easy humour, practical tips and the wonderful illustrations of Elayne Sears. The book has certainly earned a place on our coffee table.
Rosemary Bere-Streeter, Chevredor Boer Goats, Miles, Queensland - goat breeder for over ten years.
328 pages - Soft Cover

Goat meat is growing in popularity and is becoming an important export industry. It offers many opportunities for large and small scale farmers who need to diversify or seek alternative enterprises.
This book deals specifically with the production of goats for meat and addresses all aspects of the industry that the producer is likely to encounter.
It covers selecting and preparing a property, choosing the breeding stock, breeding, health care and nutrition, drought feeding, condition scoring and marketing.
One of the key benefits of Farming Meat Goats is that it will allow farmers to produce animals to specification for targeted markets in Australia and overseas including: butchers, supermarkets, restaurants, on-farm live sales, sales to abattoirs that specialise in Halal kills, Breeding stock either as replacements, or for improved herd genetics.
Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Introduction
• Will breeding meat goats pay?
• Fencing & yards • Choosing your breeding stock • Breeding season
• Preparation of does and bucks for breeding • Joining and the importance of good record keeping • Embryo transplants and artificial insemination • Pregnancy testing • Gestation chart • Kidding management • Preparation of does: their nutrition and dealing with kidding problems • Tagging, marking, vaccinating, weaning and foot trimming • Nutrition
• Drought feeding and strategies
• Health • Nutritional and metabolic diseases • Clostridial diseases • Other infectious diseases etc • Parasites, what they are, their life cycles and how to seal with them. • Drenching and backlining
• How to do your own faecal egg counts
• Poisoning, causes and possible treatments • Marketing with an outline of the available markets and the requirements for each • Condition scoring • An explanation of withholding periods and of the National vendor declaration form and its uses • Appendix - resources for producers, government departments, agencies, associations and others. Books videos and programs. Index
The Author: Barbara Vincent has worked in a number of Federal Government Departments and has been a livestock consultant for more than 15 years. She has been closely involved in cross breeding of Boer and feral goats for meat production since the first imports of Boer goats into Australia. Barbara is currently the animal production manager for a large Boer goat stud in Queensland.
Paperback 288 pages, Illustrations.
248 x 170mm.
Published July 2005

Whether you want to raise goats for their milk and fiber or keep them as pets or companion animals, this book covers all the essentials.
You’ll learn how to choose the right goats for your needs and space, house and feed them, keep them healthy, and train them to do simple tricks, pull and drive carts, and serve as pack goats.
You’ll also learn how to milk, shear, breed, raise newborn kids, and more.
The Backyard Goat makes it easy to enjoy the benefits of owning goats, with no experience necessary.
224 pages
Size 7cm x 23cm
One-color with 16-page full-color insert; Photographs and illustrations throughout
Softcover
Author Sue Weaver
US Published.

Storey’s Guide to Raising Miniature Livestock, Goats, Sheep, Donkeys, Pigs, Horses, Cattle, Llamas
This latest addition to Storey’s venerable Guide to Raising Series gives you the essential, expert instruction and advice you need to successfully raise miniature livestock. Sue Weaver clearly explains the ins and outs of breeding, feeding, housing, diet, nutrition, exercise, disease prevention and treatment, and much, much more. Whether you’re a new or an experienced farmer, you’ll find everything you need to keep your minis healthy and productive.
Soft Cover, 464 pages
50mm x 125m
16-page color insert; Photographs and illustrations throughout
Product Code 6818

This indispensable, fully illustrated guide provides the very latest practical information for dairy goat owners. All of the essentials are covered here, including:

• Individual breeds
• Feeding and housing
• Health care and disease prevention
• Breeding and kidding
• Milking and dairying Individual breeds.

Contents
1. Basic information about goats
2. Milk
3. Getting your goat
4. Housing
5. Fencing
6. Feeding
7. Grooming
8. Health
9. The buck
10. Breeding
11. Kidding
12. Raising kids
13. Milking
14. Keeping records
15. Chevon
16. Dairy products
17. Recipes for goat products
Appendixes
Glossary
Index
Paperback - 288 pages
US publication

N. Bruce Haynes, DVM
Comprehensive, updated veterinary guide to preventing and identifying diseases in cattle, horses, swine, goats and sheep. Includes the most up-to-date information on vaccines, nutrition, housing, reproduction, disease testing, drug treatments and restraint. Softcover, 350 pages with black and white photographs and illustrations