The Backyard Cow: An Introductory Guide to Keeping a Productive Family Cow - Softcover

Sue Weaver has written hundreds of magazine articles and many books about livestock, horses, and chickens, including The Backyard Cow, The Backyard Goat, The Backyard Sheep, Storey and The Donkey Companion. Weaver and her husband share their ridgetop farmette in the southern Ozarks with an array of animal friends.

Homegrown Dairy Products, Fresh from Your Yard

A single cow, carefully chosen for your needs and facilities, can live a healthy, contented life right in your backyard. Calm and friendly by nature, your cow will be a gentle companion and a valued contributor to your family's diet, producing more than enough milk to keep you out of your supermarket's dairy aisle.

The essential beginner's guide to:

*Choosing a breed. Select the backyard cow that makes the most sense for your climate, grazing land, and price range.
*Developing cow sense. See the world as your cow does and you will both be safer.
*Caring for cattle. Breed your dairy cow, feed and groom her well, provide proper shelter, and identify and treat common diseases.
*Milking. Create a daily routine.
*Processing your daily milk. Keep your milk fresh and healthful with proper cooling and storing.
*Making cheese. Use your daily milk to make butter, yogurt, cheese, and other fresh, fermented, and aged dairy products.
*Riding steers. Yes, you can ride your steer or cow!