Ultimate Guide to Hobby Farm Animals

·Extensive sections devoted to the seven major farm animals, including profiles of the most popular breeds and varieties

·Detailed how-to chapters on the care, handling, feeding, health, and safety of each animal

·Special chapters devoted to the breeding and raising of young animals

·Recommendations for ways of capitalizing on your livestock's output, from selling eggs, milk, fiber, and so forth

·Tips for troubleshooting potential problems and warding off diseases, parasites, and predators

·New edition vetted and updated by Dr. Mark McConnon DVM, hobby farm professionals and veterinarians for the most up-to-date information available on the market for shelter, care, health, medicine, nutrition, behavior, marketing, and profit

A single, information-packed volume with everything a hobby farmer needs to know about farm animals, this newly updated and comprehensive manual to selecting, caring for, and breeding livestock brings forth the expertise of five hobby farmers, each of whom has real-life on-the-farm experience with the animals discussed. Whether you're contemplating adding a small herd of sheep or goats to your existing hobby farm or you've always wondered about the benefits of raising angora rabbits or Muscovy ducks, this must-have resource provides the kind of guidance you need to begin a herd or flock and expand your pens and fencing. With exhaustive detail, the authors offer complete coverage of chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, cattle, pigs, and rabbits, including the housing, healthcare, special needs, advantages, and challenges of each. Also provided are strategies for marketing and selling your animals' meat, milk, eggs, fleece, or feathers, plus overviews on the animals' history, their behavioral traits, personal anecdotes, and more. New to this edition is updated information across all topics for the most complete and up-to-date insight in hobby farming, from shelter, care, health, and medicine to nutrition, behavior, marketing, and profit.