Book Description

The business management and decision-making processes involved in dairy modernization are discussed in great detail in this publication, helping producers select the correct facility and management systems for a modern dairy. The reader will understand the logical planning process presented and the many options available to producers contemplating upgrading their facilities. Detailed discussions of the advantages and disadvantages of the many different options available help the reader make informed decisions. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Chant de Coeur
Back when I had my pet pig, Charlotte, I read through this book cover to cover, and found it immensely helpful. Van Loon doesn't treat pigs as merely something you raise for meat, although he covers the aspects of commercial use. He looks at them as social special animals in their own right. He discusses the wild pigs, the history of the pig, their behavior, and how to raise them with care. There are great pictures of Chinese Pigs and innovative ways to feed and house them. The one drawback is his regrettable refusal to believe in the high intelligence of pigs. We raise them for food, but they are the most intelligent domesticated animals, and generally considered the 3rd most intelligent group of animals (after Primata and Cetacea). But what other book is out there that teaches the language of pigs and the words they use, including how to accurately use the pig mating call, which sounds like the French "Song of Love"- "chant de coeur"? This is a book to make one fall in love with the pig, expressing to them, as I often did to Charlotte, "Chant de coeur".

A must for pig ownership.
Today most children and some adults believe pork comes from the grocery store. Van Loon starts with the history of swine to give the reader an understanding of the animal from the ground up. I wasn't sure if I could or wanted to raise pigs, so I bought the book. By the time I finished it I couldn't wait to go get some. Nutrition is so important to raising your own meat, and Van Loon spends a lot of time describing what the impact of certain foods are on the end-product. This helped me make the descisions on what our own pigs would eat. When we took our first pig to the processing plant, they were very impressed by the quality of the meat and we were impressed by the flavor. When we took the second one, it somehow,(150 lbs of pork),was 'mis-placed'- I never got it, hmmm....I think the book was mostly to blame.

Very helpful and informative book. Taught us some pointers.
This book has a lot of helpful information and illustrations. We had our first litter with the help of this book! I'm sure glad I had it to reference when I needed it. A great investment for anyone starting to raise pigs. ... Read more

Book Description

For twenty years Dan O’Brien struggled to make ends meet on his cattle ranch in South Dakota. But when a neighbor invited him to lend a hand at the annual buffalo roundup, O’Brien was inspired to convert his own ranch, the Broken Heart, to buffalo. Starting with thirteen calves, “short-necked, golden balls of wool,” O’Brien embarked on a journey that returned buffalo to his land for the first time in more than a century and a half.

Buffalo for the Broken Heart is at once a tender account of the buffaloes’ first seasons on the ranch and an engaging lesson in wildlife ecology. Whether he’s describing the grazing pattern of the buffalo, the thrill of watching a falcon home in on its prey, or the comical spectacle of a buffalo bull wallowing in the mud, O’Brien combines a novelist’s eye for detail with a naturalist’s understanding to create an enriching, entertaining narrative. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The "Noble Life" O'Brien-Style
O'Brien's quest for meaning in life, as defined by his relationship with the land and the animals that call it home, continues here. In his previous novel, Equinox, he explored the dichotomy in his life between the pull of the wild, and the demands of a stable relationship that required more than he was able to give. In Buffalo for the Broken Heart, we find him feeling lost and ruddlerless, both in his personal and financial life, as he struggles to get past a failed marriage and looming financial disaster.

As O'Brien gradually comes to the conclusion that buffalo are the logical answer to his dilemma, it becomes clear that they are stand for a balance and wholeness he has been trying to restore to his land and his inner landscape as well. The story, as it unfolds, is full of the personal details of Great Plains life, and the honest self-exploration that make O'Brien's books a pleasure to read. As so often happens, his inner doubts and fears are reflected in the events and lives around him. The weather is unpredictable, farm costs rise, friends go bankrupt, he is beset by worries over the buffalos he has purchased, the list goes on and on until by the end of the novel, O'Brien comes to tenuous terms with his land and his new means of making a living. The buffalo are not the final answer, but it is clear that they have helped him find another piece of the puzzle he is working so hard to solve.

For one bison runner to another
As a bison rancher myself, I think Dan O'brien does an excellent job of seeing the buffalo through the eyes of both a cattle rancher and a wildlife expert while tying it all together with the social life of the small ranch owner on the edge of a bigger town in Northern Plains. He observantly notes some things about bison that make them stand out from cattle - like their herding instinct, the willingness of young bulls to take on older bulls no matter the odds, how a bison never gives up, and how protective the herd is during calving season. This is an excellent book for the layman and the experienced rancher. Dan himself is a fascinating person as well as shown by his bringing in his Falconry skills and some of the politics of endangered species recovery.

Great gift for Father's Day
I just call my friend who insisted that I read this book and thanked her. Great story. Very educational. History, biology, nature, a challenged life. I'm ordering 3 for gifts, graduation, father's day and teen's birthday. Now on to his other books...........

Reinventing Ranching - and One's Life - on the Great Plains
O'Brien writes a well-crafted, non-glamorized story about trying to make a living off the formerly open, now fenced in, South Dakota range. O'Brien's step-by-step resurrection of his 3,000 acre ranch from a money-losing, environmentally unsound cow factory to a range-restoring, natural buffalo breeding, harvesting and meat marketing operation. Interspersed with the buffalo raising saga are wildlife vignettes, descriptions of hunting with falcons, interactions with neighbors and town folks and snatches of the history of O'Brien's ranch from the Sioux through several families of failed farmers/ranchers over the past hundred years.

One unusual aspect for this kind of book, arguably an "environmental" tract, is the description and associated stresses of the business and economic details of making a living in ranching in the 1990s. It's also an encouraging story of how a middle age man, living alone since his wife left and relying on a hired hand, redeems and reinvents his life under extremely difficult circumstances.

Recommended for anyone interested in ecological/sustainable agriculture issues, rural American life, entrepreneurial business tales or midlife turnarounds.

Talented writer shares his life with readers
In his latest book, "Buffalo for the Broken Heart," Dan O'Brien lets the reader accompany him as he switches from raising cattle to raising buffalo. In spite of worrying about how to pay for the stock, getting along with neighbors, the weather and other trials, O'Brien radiates confidence. His descriptions of the buffalo are authentic. I, too, have been captivated by these huge creatures having seen them closeup at the Custer State Park Roundup. O'Brien's prose is a joy to read. And educational too, whether he is describing how he built a fence on his property, survived a severe winter, or provides insight about his Great Plains neighbors and their emotional attachment to land and livestock. A biologist and English teacher, he writes from the heart. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Academic
This book was written by a professor at the University of Nevada and is aimed towards the academically inclined. After weighing the various policy considerations of range management, it fails to reach a convincing conclusion. Government regulation is not the evil policy envisioned by the author, and is preferable than letting be set ad hoc by self-interested red neck cowboys.

A fascinating and comprehensive look at ranching . . .
I came across this book while doing research about ranching in the American West -- this book is by far the most interesting, comprehensive and well-written book about the cattle industry that I've found. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Buy a Sheep!
Chuck Wooster has written a beginners guide to raising sheep. He makes sheep raising sound like fun. After reading it, I wanted to rush out and get sheep to nibble my lawn. The guide is aimed at a variety of readers: from those who wish to have a few sheep to nibble their grass, to serious farming for profit. Everything is covered, from the best sheep, the best food, the best fences, etc. Geoff Hansen's photographs add to the enjoyment. ... Read more

Book Description

Lost Secrets of the Poultry Masters!

In this engaging, practical book, Robert Plamondon describes how to raise baby chicks, using brooder-house techniques that, though now largely forgotten, were once used on millions of American farms. Anyone can raise baby chicks successfully by following these simple, proven methods. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

It doesn't get any clearer than this!
Robert Plamondon has packed more great information about chick brooding into this book than can be found in any other current "how to" poultry book. The author combines his own chick brooding experiences with still valuable material from out-of-print poultry books, and shows the reader how to apply it using new technology. It is well illustrated with both old and new photos. This book is a must have if you want to raise chicks. I wish it had been available when I first started, but I have it now!

Best book on brooding chicks
It's about time someone compiled a book on how to brood chickens properly. Robert took his many years of experience and knowledge, and also his old library of out of print books and compiled a very detailed yet concise book that will help you have the greatest success or improve your past success to a higher level. I would recommend this book to anyone who is brooding chicks in numbers from 10 to 100,000. Thanks Robert for putting together this information.

Great Advice from a Trustworthy Source
Plamondon raises chickens and eggs at his successful Oregon pastured poultry operation. He is also a respected member of the internet poultry mail groups.

He has gleaned the best of the past--tried and true information--the almost lost "Secrets of the Past Poultry Masters".The Ohio Brooder plans alone are worth the price of the volume. The guidelines are suitable for all climates and breeds.

The book is strong on up-to-date nutritional and disease control information, and explainations of what does and does not work.

Easy to understand charts and illustrations help the novice and experienced poultry person to grasp the concepts. Plamondon writes in an easy to read, engaging style.

Highly recommended!

Well Written & Informative
...His helpful responses to questions were always well reasoned, clear and factual... So I was pleased to see that he had put together the results of his research and experiences in one place.

Most of the information presented is also available elsewhere, but this is so well written that I found it to be a page turner. I only wish he had included an index.

Lots of Fowl Language and a Clucking Good Read
If you've ever considered raising chickens for hobby or profit,
this is the book you MUST HAVE. Plamondon's prose is eminently
readable, and his advice is spot on target. Drawing from ancient
sources as well as modern, he's produced a definitive guide to
the care and raising of chickens for eggs or meat.

Not some ivory-tower academic, Plamondon provides detailed
guidance to methods of poultry production, using materials and
equipment commonly available to anyone on a budget. You'll make
back the price of this book in just your first brood or two, in
reduced chick mortality alone.

Buy this book. It's good advice from a working farmer who knows
his stuff, and has the writing skills to communicate well. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Book Like No Other!
I must say that The Development, Nutrition and Management of the Young Calf is one of the best books I have ever bought. I am Dairy Science major at the University of Vermont and have always been dissapointed when trying to find factual books that pertain to the Dairy Industry. It is even harder to find books that are specific to an area like neonatal calves. Dr. Davis and Dr. Drackley have done a tremendous job detailing specific information about raising dairy calves. The authors do an excellent job describing the anatomy of the digestive system of the calf, describing energy requirements and metabolism of nutrients. Of course like any good calf book should do they talk about the importance of colostrum and saniatry housing. The book is referenced throughout, giving the reader the oppurtunity to do further more in depth reading at another time. I described this book as having the meat of multiple research papers, but as enjoyable to read as Hoard's Dairyman magazine. This book is so detailed and easy to read that a semester long college course could be esily developed from it. A Must read if your in the Dairy business! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Reference
I bought this when we first moved to the West, so I would sound like a local! It's a great reference book, and explains the differences between vaqueros, cowboys, cowpunchers, and buckaroos. A fun read.

The Cowboy Life: A Saddlebag Guide for Dudes
Cute book for the novice cowboy and cowgirl--entertaining reading for the "real thing". Well written and technically correct--great pictures and illustrations. Obviously written by one who knows the cowboy way. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Book Description

This volume collects up-to-date research on domestication, common breeds and their origin; morphological traits and inherited disorders; immune response and disease resistance, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy; development and reproductive technologies and transgenics; and genetic resources, conservation, and improvement. ... Read more

Book Description

FEEDING POULTRY is required reading for anyone interested in giving their flocks a better diet. First published in 1955, this book is modern enough that no important point is overlooked, yet old enough that free range, green feed, home-grown grains, and small flocks are given due attention.Written by pioneering poultry scientist G. F. Heuser of Cornell University, the book is aimed at practical poultrymen in addition to poultry scientists, and this makes it more accessible than more recent works.This book is part of the Norton Creek Classics series; books from our past with an important role to play in our future. ... Read more

Book Description

Animal lovers can find exciting careers as horse trainers and groomers, dog trainers, animal show handlers, veterinary assistants, wildlife guides, park rangers, and more. The author discusses the special aptitudes animal handlers must have and tells readers how to make crucial contacts that lead to employment in these fields. Titles in the practical and enlightening Success Without College series guide ambitious young men and women toward satisfying and well-paying careers in fields where a college degree is not required. However, all occupations described do require specialized training, either on the job or in technical or vocational classroom settings. Readers learn how and where to get that training, then find out how to get started on the highway to career success. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent dairy handbook
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. Ofcoursethis book is mainly for US situations but very useful for other parts ofthe World. ... Read more

Book Description

Ferrets are lovable animals, but they're also very active and inquisitive, and require training and supervision if they are to be kept in the home. Here is detailed information on keeping a healthy, happy, and compatible ferret. Titles in Barron's popular Pet Handbooks series instruct pet owners on health care, proper feeding and housing, and other facts important to owners and their pets. All books in this series have high quality, full-color photos and line drawings. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Everything and more in a Ferret Book
The best ferret book that I have ever bought or read. Has so much more than the other books out their. You will find more on ferret colors than anyplace else. More on health and care and feeding that I have found. And the best is the Understanding Ferret Behavior!! cant go wrong with that. The book jacket (on the back)says it all The Ferret Handbook The Information You Need to Raise a Happy and Healthy Ferret. Facts, advice, and fascinating insight tell you all you need to know and much more..

A Great Beginners Book
If you've never owned a ferret before or feel like you're not knowledgable enough with the fuzzies you have now, this is a great book. It covers all the basics one needs to know when caring for a ferret, or multiples. Including ferret proofing your home, basic training technics with multiple suggestions for different behavioral problems since no two ferrets are a like and will respond differently and many many other topics. I enjoyed this book and found it very informative since at the time I purchased it I felt I needed to learn more about my sweet little fuzzies and sure did! A great book.

The best
This book tells you about everything you need to now about Fuzzies, carpet sharks, or Ferrets.

Awesome
I just lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvve this book it described everything I needed to know! ... Read more

Book Description

This introduction to the science of range management couples the latest concepts and technology with proven traditional approaches. It combines fundamental topics, such as range plant physiology, range plant ecology, stocking-rate considerations, and grazing system selection, with the most recent research.The volume addresses rangeland and man, range management history, rangeland physical characteristics, description of rangeland types, plant physiology, ecology, inventory and monitoring, considerations concerning stocking rate, selection of grazing methods, methods of improving livestock distribution, range animal nutrition, range livestock production, wildlife management, manipulation of range vegetation, range management in developing countries, planning, technology, and the outlook for future.For Range Conservationist, Wildlife Biologist, Natural Resource Managers, Watershed Mangers and Foresters. ... Read more

Book Description

Careers for Animal Lovers & Other Zoological Types lets career explorers look at the job market through the unique lens of their own interests. The book reveals dozens of ways to pursue a passion and make a living--including many little-known but delightful careers that will surprise readers.

Reviews (2)

Lots of information!
This book contains a very wide variety of career options, be it young or be it old! If you don't know what's out there and you're older, this is a great book to look for answers. If you're young and just starting out & don't know what's out there, this is a great place to start. There's even a job in this book called "cat house architect"! I'm considering working in the animal field, and think this book has helped me, at least in the beginning stages of what I would like to do. One idea though: check it out from the library!

Book suggested for the YOUNG reader
This book is for a school student doing their studies. The information is very general and there isnt any information about salaries! It really doesnt help if you are trying to descide what type of amimal career you are trying to get into. ... Read more

Book Description

This second edition text focuses on the scientific aspects of the animal agriculture industry.New chapters on the beef, swine, sheep, horse, and small animal industries have been added for comprehensive coverage of all livestock animals.This textincludes background on the various segments of the livestock industry and includes basic principles of biology to help readers understand the process of producing animals for human utilization.Features such as objectives and activities help readers understand the material.A CD-ROM that includes a lab manual, teacher's resource guide, computerized test bank, and transparency masters isavailable to help instructors organize and plan lessons. ... Read more