Raising Goats Naturally, 2nd Edition: The Complete Guide to Milk, Meat, and More - Paperback

by Deborah Niemann (Author)

Raise healthy, productive goats without antibiotics, chemicals, or expensive veterinary interventions using natural health management. Complete guide to goat husbandry that prevents problems through nutrition, environmental management, and natural breeding practices.

Why Natural Goat Management Works Better:

Chemical-dependent goat raising creates ongoing costs and health problems. Natural methods build strong immune systems, reduce veterinary expenses, and produce healthier milk and meat.

What You'll Master:

• Natural health protocols that prevent common goat diseases without chemicals


• Pasture management for optimal nutrition and parasite prevention


• Breeding programs that improve herd genetics naturally over time


• Milk and meat production systems for family food security or income generation


• Problem-solving through observation and natural interventions

Cost Savings and Health Benefits:

Natural goat managers report 75% lower veterinary costs, healthier animals, and superior milk and meat quality compared to conventionally managed herds.

Raise goats the natural way for healthier animals and lower costs. Essential for homesteaders and small farmers committed to sustainable livestock management.

Back Jacket

PRODUCE YOUR OWN milk, cheese, meat, fiber, fertilizer, and more

"Deborah Niemann exemplifies the best spirit and action in homestead animal care. What a great contribution to self-reliance."
-- Joel Salatin, Polyface Farm

INCORPORATING dairy goats into a diversified homestead can be the key to greater self-sufficiency. Responding to questions and concerns from readers from all over North America and beyond, this fully revised and expanded edition of Raising Goats Naturally will help readers work with nature to raise dairy goats to produce milk, cheese, meat, fertilizer, leather, fiber, and soap -- all without relying on drugs or following the factory farm model.

By observing your own animals closely and educating yourself about their specific needs, you can create an individualized plan for keeping them healthy and maximizing their productivity. This unique, fully illustrated guide will teach you to help your herd thrive with:

• Breed-specific descriptions to help you choose the right goats for your goals and lifestyle
• Detailed information on housing, fencing, breeding, health, milking, and nutrition
• Complete recipes and instructions for making your own cheese, dairy products, and soap, and for cooking with goat meat.

Packed with personal experiences and backed up by expert veterinary advice and scientific studies, Raising Goats Naturally brings together a wealth of practical information on raising goats for the love of it and using their milk and meat to become more self-reliant.

"Raising Goats Naturally is an easy-to-read, all-encompassing guide to getting started with goats."
-- Lisa Steele, author, Fresh Eggs Daily and Duck Eggs Daily www.fresheggsdaily.com

"Raising Goats Naturally is perfect for beginners as well as seasoned owners and a definite must for any goat keeper's library."
-- Jeannette Beranger, Senior Program Manager, The Livestock Conservancy

Deborah Niemann is a homesteader, writer, and self-sufficiency expert who presents extensively on skills for living a more self-reliant life. She has raised livestock for over 16 years and is the administrator of a popular online forum and social network focused on Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats. She is also the author of Homegrown and Handmade: A Practical Guide to More Self- Reliant Living , and lives and farms with her family in Cornell, Illinois. You can find her online at ThriftyHomesteader.com

Author Biography

Deborah Niemann is a homesteader, writer and self-sufficiency expert who presents extensively on skills for living a more self-reliant life. She has raised livestock for over 16 years and is the administrator of a popular online forum and social network focused on Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats. She is the author of Homegrown and Handmade: A Practical Guide to More Self-Reliant Living , and Ecothrifty: Cheaper, Greener Choices for a Happier, Healthier Life, along with the first edition of Raising Goats Naturally. Deborah and her family produce all of their own meat, eggs and dairy products, while an organic garden and orchard provide fruit and vegetables. She lives and farms with her family in Cornell, Illinois. You can find her online at ThriftyHomesteader.com