Backyard Livestock: Raising Good, Natural Food for Your Family

by Steven Daniel Thomas

This popular and widely praised book describes everything you need to know about selecting and raising small livestock. Long the primary reference for anyone who keeps animals as a sustainable food source, this latest edition includes up- to-date information on breeds and breeding, feed, disease prevention, housing, and management. The book also includes a chapter on growing feed; appendices covering disease identification and treatment, manure, tanning, incubators, and injections; and a catalog of supplemental resources. Country Journal calls it "a handbook in the true sense of the word. You can pick it up and turn to any section to find quickly the information needed." 35 b&w illustrations and 25 color photographs

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 17, 1991

About the author

Steven Thomas, author of Never a Sextant, has been a stockbroker and financial advisor in Tampa Bay, Fla., for the last 25 years. He joined the United States Air Force in 1979, as a medic at the largest air force hospital, Wilford Hall, San Antonio, Texas. He worked for two years on the orthopedic surgery ward, and two more years in aero medical evacuation, (Medevac). During his four memorable years there, he saw every sort of injury and illness a person could see. He witnessed enough blood and gore, and death and dying in four years to last a lifetime. He was able to attend college while working night shifts.

His experience as a medic for the U.S. Air Force from 1979 to 1983 gave him special insight into the military themes and action sequences used in Never a Sextant. While he loved serving veterans and their families immensely, he decided to get out of the medical field and became an investment advisor in 1983. He worked in banks as a financial advisor for the first 14 years, then became an independent advisor 11 year ago. He has always loved helping people, whether it is with their health or their finances. He found out early in his lifetime the honor of service to others, which has made his life rewarding. Thomas takes great pride in knowing he has helped thousands of people manage their money over the last 25 years

Reviews

[Laurla2]

good informative book with lots of good references in the back. i only read the sections on raising pigs and pasture, but i'll definitely come back to this book if i ever do get a chance to raise livestock anywhere.

[Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good and informational book if you are interested in raising sheep, goats, ducks, chickens, geese, cattle, etc... It goes into depth about each different animal and different ways to raise them to fit their needs. It also talks about how to build coops or shelters for the animals to fit their needs best and what to feed them and more.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the revised (second) edition (printed 1992) and I'm sure the third edition is even better. Lots of great information about raising animals on a small scale. Very readable and easy to understand and apply to your backyard or small homestead agrarian adventure.

[Glennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good over-all spectrum that doesn't go too deep, but covers the basic necessities, and some of the pitfalls. Some of the attributes of various breeds and their purposes are discussed, which is helpful.

[Aubrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very handy reference book. It provides a good amount of basic (and not so basic) information on a wide variety of animals and crops-- which breeds to buy, how to raise them, when to butcher them, etc.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

With care a small property owner can raise organically fed meat for home consumption.

[Ezra · Rating 4 out of 5]

It doesn't matter where you start with this book. I read it from the outside in.