Homestead Cows is a comprehensive guide to raising cattle, from a single milk cow to a small farm herd. Offers detailed planning rooted in practical experience, covering breed selection, herd size, whole farm management with cattle, safe handling, finances, housing, health, reproduction, processing, and more.

Every farm needs a cow – open the gates!

A must-read for every homesteader and small-holder with an interest in keeping cattle for virtually any purpose. — HANK WILL, editor, Mother Earth News A comprehensive guide that is perfect for the beginner, but is still useful for the experienced cattleman. — ALICIA BOOR, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent, Cottonwood District, K-State Research and Extension

WITH AN APPROACH built around investing for the long term, Homestead Cows prepares home- steaders and small farmers to open the farm gate to cattle, whether a single milk cow or a small beef herd.

Homestead Cows covers the A to Z of husbandry:

• Cow history, biology, diet, and nutrition
• Understanding what you want, what’s involved, and creating a plan
• Selecting breeds and determining herd size
• Housing and facilities, transportation, and equipment
• Financial management and the dollars and cents of cows
• Breeding and reproduction
• Cow health and happiness, including safety, handling, and good husbandry
• Processing, products, and cooking.

Cattle are the most productive, versatile, and low-input sources of food and revenue on the farm and can help regenerate and build soil. The secret to success is excellent management, and Home- stead Cows distills decades of hard-won, practical knowledge into an essential guide to successful small-scale cattle farming for every homesteader and farmer.

A gem of a book; full of great advice for anyone thinking about keeping cattle. — JEANETTE BERANGER, senior program manager, The Livestock Conservancy Required reading for anyone with cattle or considering cattle. — JOANNA WILL, head herdswoman, Prairie Turnip Farm

Eric and Callene Rapp own and operate the award-winning Rare Hare Barn, the largest heritage-breed meat-rabbit enterprise in the United States. Authors of Raising Rabbits for Meat, they have over 50 years of combined experience handling nearly every species of domestic livestock. They live and farm in Leon, Kansas.

To help bring you the very best inspiration and information about greener, more sustainable lifestyles, Mother Earth News is recommending select New Society Publishers books to its readers. This book is one of them.