Holistic Goat Care

Book excerpt: "Practical, well written, and comprehensive. . . . Read this book cover to cover, or keep it handy as a reference for all aspects of goat care."—Sarah Flack, author of The Art and Science of Grazing This one-of-a-kind guide will empower even novice goat owners, offering expert guidance on maintaining a healthy herd—whether they are dairy, meat, fiber, or pet goats Goats have provided humankind with essential products for centuries; indeed, they bear the noble distinction of being the first domesticated farm animal. From providing milk and meat for sustenance and fiber and hides for clothing and shelter to carrying packs and clearing brush, there isn’t much that goats cannot do. Managing goats successfully requires an understanding of how nature designed them to thrive, including nutritional and psychological needs, as well as how to identify a problem and intercede before it’s too late. For more than a decade, Gianaclis Caldwell and her family have operated Pholia Farm Creamery, an off-grid, raw milk goat cheese dairy. In Holistic Goat Care, Caldwell offers readers a comprehensive guide to maintaining a healthy herd of goats, whether they are dairy goats, meat goats, fiber goats, or pet goats. Holistic Goat Care will empower even novice goat owners to confidently diagnose and treat most of the ailments that goats might experience. For the experienced goat farmer, the book offers a depth of insight and approaches to treatment not found in any other book. Caldwell places special emphasis throughout on holistic, natural, and alternative approaches to caring for goats, including information on: Handling and managing goats using their natural instincts as an asset Developing good farm management practices such as appropriate housing and fencing systems and manure and mortality management Making feeding decisions based on understanding goats’ ruminant digestive system and their evolutionary needs Growing forage and garden crops as feed and utilizing wild browse Troubleshooting health problems based on assessing symptoms Implementing advanced health procedures such as pain control, fecal testing, and transplanting rumen microbes from healthy to sick goats Diagnosing, treating, and preventing more than 75 common goat ailments Whether your herd is two or two hundred, this first-of-its-kind, comprehensive book will help you keep your goats healthy, safe, and productive and give you a deep and enjoyable insight into the wondrous creature that is the goat.