You don’t need acres of land to keep a cow healthy, happy, and productive. You can raise one right in your own backyard, producing more than enough milk for a single family — up to six gallons per day!The Backyard Cowcovers everything you need to know, from selecting the right breed to understanding your cow’s behavior. With helpful advice on daily maintenance, milking, and bovine health care, you’ll soon be enjoying the pleasures of fresh milk, yogurt, cheese, and much more.
Sue Weaver has written hundreds of magazine articles and many books about livestock, horses, and chickens, includingThe Backyard Cow, The Backyard Goat, The Backyard Sheep, StoreyandThe Donkey Companion. Weaver and her husband share their ridgetop farmette in the southern Ozarks with an array of animal friends.
Part 1: Meet the Cow
1 Brief History
First Came the Aurochs * What Is a Cow?
2 The Breed You Need
Choosing a Breed * Heritage Breeds * Additional Breeds * Zebu Breeds
3 Applied Cattle Psychology
Cattle Behavior 101 * Moving Cattle
4 Buying Your Cow or Steer
Basic Considerations * Where (and Where Not) to Buy * Bringing Bossy Home
Part 2: Have Fun 'Til the Cows Come Home
5 Milking
Home Dairying Basics * Hand Milking * Raw or Pasteurized? * Freezing Milk
6 Homemade Dairy Products
Cheese Making at a Glance * Butter * Buttermilk * Simple Soft Cheeses * Yogurt * Quark * Kefir * Beastings * Koumiss
7 Riding Steers
Before You Begin * Tack for Riding Steers (and Cows) * Training Your Steer to Ride
8 Raise a Calf
Start with a Healthy Calf * Housing Your Calf * Feeding Your Calf * A 4-H Bucket Calf Project
Part 3: Care for Your Cow
9 Mating and Birthing
Breeding Your Cow * Calving 101
10 Shelter, Equipment, Pasture, and Fences
Shelter * Everyday Equipment * PaslsI
![The Backyard Cow: An Introductory Guide to Keeping a Productive Family Cow [Paperback]](/itemImage/2/3/0/1/2_1344908.jpg "The Backyard Cow: An Introductory Guide to Keeping a Productive Family Cow [Paperback]")