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Praise for the second edition …
Back in 2009, I wanted to start raising goats. I thought it would be fun to add a small herd to our small farm. My husband didn’t quite see eye to eye with me and long story short, we ended up raising chickens and ducks instead. But my dream of a herd of goats still lives on. Raising them naturally would of course be of utmost importance to me and after reading Debora’s book, I feel confident about being able to do just that. From choosing a breed, birthing and raising babies, to feed, supplements and health issues, Raising Goats Naturally is an easy to read, all-encompassing guide to getting started with goats. Now to convince my husband…
—Lisa Steele, Author of Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens Naturally and Duck Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Ducks Naturally
I’ve always been a fan of Deborah’s no nonsense holistic approach to keeping goats. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of the species inside and out and this book is a direct reflection of that amazing expertise. 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
In this revised edition of her first go-to goat keeping handbook, Niemann offers the same approachable style to answering every question that you might have about goats. Now with even more detail and information, Raising Goats Naturally is a companion to anyone considering or keeping goats. Niemann is knowledgeable and her information complete, but she also brings a heartfelt love for her herd to her writing. Her passion for goats translates into excitement throughout the book, that will sure make readers eager for goats.
— Kirsten Lie-Nielsen, Hostile Valley Living, author of The Modern Homesteader’s Guide to Keeping Geese.
Raising Goats Naturally: The Complete Guide to Milk, Meat and More thoroughly covers all aspects of what goat owners need to know to succeed with their goats. We have owned goats on our homestead for many years and I was impressed with how much information is packed into this book. I would highly recommend it for those just starting out with goats, but it’s got enough detail for experienced goat keepers too!
— Lesa Wilke, Better Hens and Gardens
The book is also available on Amazon.
Contents of the second edition
Introduction
Part One : Planning, Purchasing, and Protecting
Chapter 1: Choosing Your Goats
Breeds
Dairy Breeds
Alpine
Guernsey
LaMancha
Nigerian Dwarf
Nubian
Oberhasli
Saanen
Sable
Toggenburg
Grade or Experimental Dairy Goats
Dual Purpose
Meat Breeds
Fiber Breeds
Does
Bucks
Registration
Pedigree
Purchasing
Should You Buy All Your Goats From a Single Herd?
How Do You Know You Are Buying Healthy Goats?
Chapter 2: Housing Your Goats
Shelter
Bedding
Chapter 3: Protecting Your Goats
Fencing
Barbed Wire
Chain Link
Electric — Permanent
Electric — Temporary
Livestock, Hog, and Cattle Panels
Welded Wire
Woven Wire
Wood
Livestock Guardians
Dogs
Llamas
Donkeys
Part Two: Raising, Remedies, and Reproduction
Chapter 4: Day-To-Day Life With Goats
Behavior
Social Order
Intervention
Anatomy
Health
Condition
Temperature
Digestion
Eyelids
Feces
Grooming
Hooves
First Aid Supplies
Medicating the Sick Goat
Chapter 5: Feeding Your Goats
Rotational Grazing
Hay
Grain
Minerals
Baking Soda
Chapter 6: Parasites
Internal Parasites
Barber Pole Worm
Brown Stomach Worm
Bankrupt Worm
Tapeworm
Liver Fluke
Lungworm
Meningeal Worm
Coccidia
Controlling Internal Parasites
Dewormers
Dewormer Resistance
Common Deworming Practices
Alternative Dewormers
COWP
Herbal Dewormers
Diatomaceous Earth
Preventing Infection
Pasture Rotation
Weather
Grass Height
Mixing Species
Browse
Dry Lot
Breeding For Resistance
Seasonal Birthing
Tannin Plants
External Parasites
Lice
Mites
Ticks
Fleas
Controlling External Parasites
Chapter 7: Injury, Illnesses, and Diseases
Abortion and Stillbirth
Abscesses
Acidosis
Bloat
Brucellosis
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis
Constipation
Cryptosporidiosis
Enterotoxemia
Floppy Kid Syndrome
Foot Rot
Hardware Disease
Hypocalcemia
Infertility in Bucks
Infertility in Does
Johnes Disease
Ketosis
Listeriosis
Mastitis
Nutritional Deficiencies
Cobalt
Copper
Selenium
Vitamin B12
Vitamin E
Zinc
Neonatal Mortality
Pinkeye
Polio (Polioencephalomalacia)
Respiratory Conditions
Ringworm
Scours
Scrapie
Skin Cancer
Sore Mouth
Tetanus
Tuberculosis
Urinary Stones (Urinary Calculi)
White Muscle Disease
Vaccines
Chapter 8: Breeding
Breeding Season
Breeding Age
Signs of Estrus
Breeding Methods
Buck Behavior
Successful Breeding
Artificial Insemination
Feeding for Fertility
Chapter 9: Pregnancy
Gestation
Signs of Pregnancy
False Pregnancy
Feeding During Pregnancy
Chapter 10: Birthing
Getting Ready
Kidding Supplies
Signs of Labor
Udder
Tail Ligaments
Belly
Mucus
Birth
Pushing Time
Amniotic Sac Bubble
Malpresentations
Noses
Breech
Hooves
Ribs
Head
Two Kids
Failure to Dilate
Umbilical Cord
Placenta
Feeding Post Birth
Newborn Check
Kid Complications
Weak or Non-Responsive Kids
Hypothermic Kids
Chapter 11: Raising Kids
Getting Started With Dam Raising
Getting Started With Bottle Feeding
Goat Milk, Cow Milk, or Milk Replacer
Poop
Feeding Grain and Forage
Horns
Disbudding
Scurs
Polled Goats
Castrating Males
Banding
Emasculation
Surgical Castration
Tattooing and Ear Tags
Weaning
Barn Hygiene
Chapter 12: Milking
Managing Milkers Naturally
Teaching a Doe to Milk
Milking Equipment
Milk Stand
Milk Bucket
Strip Cup
Udder Supplies
Teat Dip
Milk Filters
Storage Containers
Milking By Hand
Milking With a Machine
Handling Milk
Storing Milk
Part Three: Milk, Meat, and More
Chapter 13: The Dairy Kitchen
Equipment
Ingredients
Chapter 14: Dairy Products
Buttermilk and Sour Cream
Yogurt
Sweets
Caramel Coffee Creamer
Caramel Sauce
Chapter 15: Acid-Ripened Cheeses
Vinegar
Queso Blanco
Ricotta
Citric Acid
Paneer
Mozzarella
Chapter 16: Culture-Ripened Cheeses
Choosing Cultures
Chèvre
Pumpkin Chèvre Cheesecake
Flocculation
Cutting Curds
Feta
Camembert
Semi-Hard and Hard Cheeses
Antiquity Oaks Heritage Cheddar
Traditional Cheddar
Chapter 17: Meat
Meat Quality
Butchering
Commercial Services
Home Butchering
Cooking
Indian Goat and Sweet Potatoes
Goat Goulash
Chapter 18: Soap
Processes
Safety
Equipment
Ingredients
Step-By-Step Soap Making
Butter Bar
Facial Soap for Oily Skin
Unscented Mocha Java
Final Thoughts
End Notes
Glossary
Suggested Reading
Books
Websites
Recipe Index
Index
The first edition of Raising Goats Naturally (published 2013)
Praise for Raising Goats Naturally
With endearing personal stories and layman’s scientific explanations, Raising Goats Naturally lays an enjoyable and empowering foundation for goat-rearing success on the self-reliant farmstead.
Polyface Farm
Raising Goats Naturally is an excellent starting point and guide for anyone about to dive into the world of goats. This book does a marvelous job in covering practical approaches to husbandry and how to avoid the pitfalls that novices often encounter.
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
Deborah Niemann cuts through the formulaic and often inflexible so-called “expert advice” and encourages us to get to know our animals and listen to what they tell us. Drawing on vast experience, Niemann offers an upbeat, authentic glimpse of what life with dairy goats is really like.
Editor in Chief of GRIT Magazine, author of Plowing with Pigs
Deborah Niemann’s book is an inspiring and useful guide for anyone thinking about raising goats. Her research is exhaustive and her personal stories give real depth and dimension to the experience, preparing the prospective goat owner not only for the technical challenges, but also for the rich emotional experience of sharing your life with a herd.
This lovely book offers a glimpse into an exceptionally thoughtful barnyard. As someone who has benefited from Deborah’s goat wisdom for years, I’m delighted that she’s compiled it into such a comprehensive guide.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to raising goats (or any livestock for that matter). But by working with nature, you can raise dairy goats as the centerpiece of a diversified homestead and produce your own 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
- recipes and instructions for making your own cheese, dairy products, and soap, as well as cooking with goat meat.
Packed with personal experiences 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.
