Book Description
A bovine expert, Thomas explains facilities, breeding and genetics, calving, health care, and advice for marketing a cattle business.
Customer Reviews:
Beef raisers bible.......2007-10-03
This is a great addition to my library. I go back to it all the time, looking for answers while we raise and learn about our Scottish Highlands.
Storey's Guide to Raising Beef.......2007-05-26
We found this book to be jam packed with useful and interesting information. A must for anyone raising beef!
Helpful hints for an Aussie girl.......2007-01-30
even though this book is written for the American farmer, I found a lot of the information quite helpful to me. I have not been farming very long. We work with beef cattle on grass and it has been a steep learning curve for us. Thank you for such well articulated good sense. I have taken initiatives that I thought were sensible and this book has either confirmed my ideas or given me a better way to approach the situation. I have also appreciated the statistical information given about the cattle. Thank you and God bless
Good, Thorough Book!.......2006-08-03
This book was exactly what I was looking for. I know nothing about cattle, my husband has raised them since he was young. I wanted a book that would explain the "little things" to me so I wouldn't have to ask him day in day out what this meant, what they are doing, how will we know when they are in heat, etc. It's very interesting, easy read and very informative.
Excellent book.......2005-07-20
You will learn something from this book, you can tell it is wrote by someone who has been around cattle. It was very easy to read, after I finished I put mine on the shelf to use as a reference.
Book Description
Based on the most recent scientific, demographic and financial data available, "Beef Production and Management Decisions, Fifth Edition" examines the biological, ecological, financial, and marketing issues impacting the beef industry today. Harnessing the authors' industry and academic experience, the book explores the demographics, structure, challenges and segments of the industry from a balanced point of view. A must for any professional library, this paperback edition includes concepts of beef quality assurance and devotes chapters to the management of information, the traditions of the business and the future of the industry.
Systems philosophy that looks at the biological, ecological, financial and marketing issues impacting the industry. Discusses each segment of the production and processing chain from a management/decision-making perspective. Identifies the significant biological and economic principles that contribute to the profitable and sustainable production of beef cattle. Written by a leading researcher and consultant in the field.
This book provides a well of resource and reference material intended for the industry professionals and affiliated professional managers with a detailed evaluation of the demographics, structure, challenges, and segments of the beef industry.
Customer Reviews:
Rancher rates it the best.......2007-03-08
I have been a cattle rancher for over 30 years and this is the best reference book I have ever found to help me in my operations.
A GREAT up-to-date text for students or aspiring ranchers!.......2003-12-30
If you are considering cattle ranching or producing beef in a feedlot this book will be invaluable to you or your students.
I found the inclusion of general management advice to be especially valuable.
The data provided to analyze the income potential of various types of production considerations also is appreciated.
If you can buy only one book regarding beef production, buy BEEF PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS. If you can afford a second book, purchase STOREY'S GUIDE TO RAISING BEEF CATTLE.
Customer Reviews:
TEXAS CATTLE BARONS.......2000-08-18
UNFORTUNATELY, I DID NOT GET MY COPY FROM AMAZON.COM. I WAS FORTUNATE HOWEVER, TO GET AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY AT AN ANITQUE STORE. THE BOOK IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFULLY ILLISTRATED. A DEFINTE WANT TO BUY!
21th century..what it means for Texas ranchers........2000-07-03
This book shows the real life of Texas ranchers involved. Wonderful pictures and stories of real families; their dreams and problems that come with owning a ranch in the 21st century. The whole book is a learning tool for anybody interested in a ranchers life.
Wonderful photographic journey of Texas' fabled ranches.......2000-06-13
This book is a wonderful treatment of the few remaining cattle barons. It provides depth of coverage through interviews with residents of a number of ranches and sends the reader on a journey to the Texas plains.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Book.......2006-09-09
This book starts with the framework for grass finished cattle production, then looks at day to day operation, followed by some more detailed points and problem shooting, before closing with marketing. This is a great guide and an enjoyable read. I liked it better than Pastured Poultry, but both are great books for those interested in the future of the farm buisness.
Ryan
Great Book.......2006-07-05
This is a great book with a lot of ideas. He is a little extreme for me, but all of his points are quite valid. I love his experience and his families experience and how he gives such great advice based on experience.
An Excellant Choice.......2000-02-04
This was a wonderful book. Not only was it extremely informative, but it was also very enjoyable to read. I recommend it highly!
Good How-to on raising beef on shoestring for direct market.......1997-12-26
Joel Salatin brings optimism and energy to this series of essays on how he raises beef (and other livestock ) on grass for direct market to urban consumers. He reveals his tricks in great detail, such as the egg-mobile, the pig-aerator, electric fencing, the warm winter hay shed, and how to promote the meat. A must for anyone looking for new ideas on raising livestock
Book Description
A fundamental source of information in agricultural education, this book is extremely reader-friendly and organized into specific, short topics within broad general sections. Its coverage encompasses the skills needed to be competitive in today’s industry, and emphasizes the need for possessing a healthy balance between understanding the scientific principles of dairy science and the practical art of implementing those principles.
A nine-part organization covers the dairy industry, genetic improvement, dairy nutrition, dairy feeds, reproductive physiology, lactation physiology, dairy health and disease, dairy cow comfort, and integrating disciplines: dairy management systems.
For individuals interested in the agricultural field.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent dairy handbook.......2000-03-30
Dairy Cattle Science is a excellent handbook reviewing most aspects concerning dairy farming and consulting. There are very good chapters on nutrition, management and reproduction (breeding) for instance. Ofcourse this book is mainly for US situations but very useful for other parts of the World.
Customer Reviews:
Beyond Beef, Rifkin........2007-03-26
This was an important book in the early 1990s, and although the thesis demands our attention now more than ever, it is still generally ignored, perhaps in small part because Rifkin's book is not at all perfect. The first third is the author's 'abridged' version of the entire human-bovine history, and the critical reader will have ample cause to question many broad assertions in Rifkin's sweeping saga, especially in the early chapters. I must agree with an earlier reviewer who rightly describes Rifkin's 'historical' generalizations and selected references as being "a mile wide and an inch deep." It is unfortunate, but this stylized yarn-weaving detracts somewhat from critical assent when Rifkin finally approaches the 'meat' of the thesis in chapter 15.
There are many excellent points made when Rifkin finally makes room for them (parts 3-6), but the quality of his reference sources continues to be dubious in some, though certainly not all, instances. The book finally hits its stride and makes its import observations in parts 4 (Feeding Cattle and Starving People) and 5 (Cattle and the Global Environmental Crisis). If the information here doesn't direct the reader toward a vegetarian lifestyle (or at least to rethinking the centrality of meat in his/her diet), he or she may be a pretty hardened case of wanton self-indulgence and thoughtless hedonism. We must hope that sometime soon, western consumers might become as interested in the welfare of human beings and of our entire planetary home, as they are in self-pleasuring. In fact, the reader may want to read this portion of the book only (chapters 22-32) before moving on to a better book -- MAD COWBOY: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won't Eat Meat, by Howard F. Lyman.
Depending on the crop, plants can provide 5 to 26 times as much protein per any given unit of land, than can beef. In 1984, when thousands of people were dying for lack of food in famine-ravaged Ethiopia, feed crops produced there were being shipped to livestock producers in Europe! The affluent 'first world' continues to orchestrate, in large part, the starvation of hundreds of millions of the worlds poorest people, and does so in a way not only embarrassingly decadent, but demonstrably stupid: "In 1917 the Allied Powers threw a naval blockade around the German-occupied territories of northern Europe. The Danish people were particularly hard hit by the blockade. With its normal food supply routes cut, the Danish government was forced to enact a rationing program based on increasing the intake of potatoes and barley and virtually eliminating meat. Overnight, some three million Danes were turned into vegetarians, with some interesting results. During the year of rationing, the death rate from disease fell by 34 percent." p170. This was cited in the journal of the AMA.
Interesting stuff, but read Lyman's book instead.
It sealed the deal on being a vegetarian.......2006-08-07
This book was so amazing! I had become a vegetarian several months before reading it, but after reading it, there was no question in my mind- I'm never touching meat again!
Its an eye opening look into the facts and world of the beef industry. I highly recommend it if you are on the fence about red meat.
Better Books out there.......2006-08-01
The problem I have with this book, as well as a lot of other Rifkin's books, it's not the message that is being conveyed, it's how it's being conveyed. Rifkin's research style is a mile wide and an inch deep. I pined to have some of the chapters be at least a couple pages longer so there was more substance. He makes wide, sweeping generalizations with the minimum of hard data to back it up.
That, in addition to this book now being well over a decade old, makes me very reluctant to recommend. There are better, newer books that have the same point of view that are better written. And this is coming from a reviewer who has not eaten beef since 1997.
As timely as ever regarding out of control corn and animal fat.......2006-02-22
Important book outlining the culture of animal consumption (beef), it's devastating effect of the environment and natural resources, as well as afflicting human health.
Book sets stage for understanding what kinds of transformations
are needed for humans to sustainably survive as population and appetites continue to grow voraciously. Imagine the land resources, food resources, and the improvement in quality of life possible if corn and beef were removed from the landscape.
Great book.......2004-02-27
There's not much to add to what's already been said. I just want to echo the praise... It's a formidable book - scholarly and persuasive; it's a fascinating history. It's also a very easy book to read, one you won't regret reading: it's eye-opening.
Customer Reviews:
Yes, friends, Ensminger's books are great sources of info!.......2003-07-11
Friends have prompted me to review this book.
This is a highly technical gem oriented to the university student. Those of you for whom English is a second language will gain a great deal of referring to your Oxford dictionaries but it will be well worth it if you truly want to understand everything about raising beef cattle.
While your at it, order Stockman's Handbook - somewhat less academic and a bit easier to read. Both books are five star quality!
Is this the beef book for you?.......2003-07-11
I first learned of this book through Amazon and read the reviews. It is a very technical book but it is very complete.
Excellent - a must fo anyone who raises beef cattle,.......1999-04-12
A MUST for anyone with 2 head o 50,000 head. Colorado State University textbook. Index is not the best, but it's a MUST HAVE reference bookl.
I also, have his STOCKMAN'S HANDBOOK -- a must for anyone with livestock.
Author just passed away. I was waiting for the 8th Edition.
Some of the infomation is basic, but it IS a big, heavy book.
The "Bible" of the cattle industry........1998-12-24
When my chldren and I fisrt ventured into our 4-H Club/Calf experience this was the book we found . When we search for other sources of beef cattle information most other books come up short in depth and scope. The only other sources we trust are our experienced local cattle breeders and the vets that are beef specialists and even they tell us to look to this book as the final source.
I've given this book 4 stars only because it's depht sometimes reaches to the scholarly level. That's why I tell my wife I'm giving myself a collage education in beef when I read this into the late hours of the night.
Use this book as the first and last word when you need to gain beef cattle experience. It's in your library too. But it will look good on your own shelf when you need to use it in an emergency late in the night.
Book Description
With grass-fed beef popping up on menus across North America, and more small-farm owners venturing into this growth area, the time is right for a comprehensive book on how to raise, manage, and market grass-fed cattle.
Grass-Fed Cattle, the newest addition to Storey’s library of best-selling livestock books, covers every aspect of raising and care, including herd selection, breeding, yearly cycles, cultivating and maintaining healthy soil and grass, fencing and pasture rotation, winter grazing, pests and diseases, and necessary equipment.
Author Julius Ruechel, who has been raising beef cattle on his family’s farm since his start as a 4-H member, packs this handbook with everything a farmer needs to know, regardless of herd size and acreage. His advice and systems are applicable to the smallest backyard hobby farms as well as the largest commercial herds and ranches.
In addition to essential farming information, Ruechel devotes a major section of the book to marketing. He discusses niche market opportunities, scheduling the selling and buying of cattle for the greatest profit, finishing the beef and arranging for slaughter, labeling, dynamic marketing, and financial planning and record keeping. He also includes chapters specially addressed to the conventional farmer who is transitioning to natural production, the farmer who is considering leasing or buying land, and the farmer who wishes to pursue organic certification.
The first book of its kind,
Grass-Fed Cattle is an indispensable, authoritative reference for anyone interested in raising cattle or looking for a profitable farm venture.
Customer Reviews:
If you only have one book on raising grass-feed cattle this is the one to have.......2007-07-18
I've read everything on raising grass-fed cattle from Allan Nation and Jim Garrish to Joel Salatin and I have to say, this is the most comprehensive guide to setting up a grass-fed beef business I've found.
You can only fully appreciate this book if you are actually trying to raise grass-fed animals. Each time I run into a difficulty with my herd or the land my cattle are grazing, I find sound guidance to the problem in this book. For instance, the section on managing the calving season on pasture (a topic I haven't seen mentioned in other books) seems particularly brilliant to me after having spent a day looking for a hidden calf.
If you are just setting up a grass-fed business this is the book to have. Julius Ruechel guides you in putting the pieces of land, vegetation, water, animals, and seasons together with human management to create a system that reflects and capitalizes on the synergistic complexity of nature while fully respecting all of her living components.
The only caution I would add is that it is a big continent, and no book can fully reflect the variations in climate, terrain, and scale found here. So you will need to adapt some of the advice to reflect your local conditions.
I have been reading these reader reviews for years, but this is the first book that has inspired me enough to write a review, so if you are reading Mr. Ruechel, please accept my thanks. I only wish your book had been out when I first entered this business.
OMG.......2007-07-07
This book sat way to long on my shelf. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Sometimes it takes someone outside of the industry to be able to step back and see what's wrong. Put your farm back in synch with nature and see your problems reduced and your profit increase. This book is the most well rounded book on every subject I've found. Also great worksheets to make your business plan.
Book Description
A few head of cattle or a large herd, a small farm or vast ranch, dairy cows or beef: Whatever your circumstances or objective, if you want to raise cattle, this book tells you all you need to know. A primer for the new farmer and a refresher for the veteran, How to Raise Cattle guides readers through beef and dairy operations from beginning to end—from choosing the right breed to providing proper feed and shelter, and from the concerns of health care to the finer points of breeding and marketing. Clearly written and illustrated with helpful examples, the book covers beef and dairy enterprises large and small, conventional and organic. It will prove the essential resource for today’s cattle farmer.
Customer Reviews:
A top primer introducing the topic........2007-07-08
Whether your goal is to raise one cow or a larger herd of dairy or beef cattle, HOW TO RAISE CATTLE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW offers easy directions for any who would house, feed, choose breeds and raise cattle and calves. From basic health issues to showing cattle at fairs, over 200 color photos accompanies basic details any would-be cattle owners will find invaluable. Rural library holdings or college-level collections strong in agricultural sciences will find it a top primer introducing the topic.
Books:
- Strawberry Shortcake Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
- Sugarcane (World Agriculture)
- The American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers (American Horticultural Society Practical Guides)
- The Anti-Inflammation Zone: Reversing the Silent Epidemic That's Destroying Our Health (Zone (Regan))
- The Doggy Bone Cookbook, Second Edition
- The Emerging Markets Century: How a New Breed of World-Class Companies Is Overtaking the World
- The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes
- The Grapes of Wrath (Centennial Edition)
- The Nature of Animal Healing: The Path to Your Pet's Health, Happiness, and Longevity
- The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener (A Gardener's Supply Book)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- History: Fiction or Science
- Chromatographic Detectors
- Ferdydurke
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
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- The Armourer and His Craft: From the XIth to the XVIth Century
- Doug Aitken: Alpha
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General
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Small Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass-Based Approach for Health, Sustainability, and Profit
Getting Started with Beef & Dairy Cattle (Getting Started With)
A Field Guide to Cows: How to Identify and Appreciate America's 52 Breeds
Storey's Guide to Raising Pigs: Care/Facilities/Management/Breed Selection
Raising a Calf for Beef (A Garden Way Publishing Book)
