This one-of-a-kind guide will empower even novice goat owners, offering expert guidance on maintaining a healthy herd—whether they are dairy, meat, fiber, or pet goats
Goats have provided humankind with essential products for centuries; indeed, they bear the noble distinction of being the first domesticated farm animal. From providing milk and meat for sustenance and fiber and hides for clothing and shelter to carrying packs and clearing brush, there isn’t much that goats cannot do. Managing goats successfully requires an understanding of how nature designed them to thrive, including nutritional and psychological needs, as well as how to identify a problem and intercede before it’s too late.
For more than a decade, Gianaclis Caldwell and her family have operated Pholia Farm Creamery, an off-grid, raw milk goat cheese dairy. In Holistic Goat Care, Caldwell offers readers a comprehensive guide to maintaining a healthy herd of goats, whether they are dairy goats, meat goats, fiber goats, or pet goats.
Holistic Goat Care will empower even novice goat owners to confidently diagnose and treat most of the ailments that goats might experience. For the experienced goat farmer, the book offers a depth of insight and approaches to treatment not found in any other book. Caldwell places special emphasis throughout on holistic, natural, and alternative approaches to caring for goats, including information on:
Whether your herd is two or two hundred, this first-of-its-kind, comprehensive book will help you keep your goats healthy, safe, and productive and give you a deep and enjoyable insight into the wondrous creature that is the goat.
Gianaclis Caldwell and her family own Pholia Farm, in Oregon, where for many years they operated an off-grid, raw milk cheese dairy. She is the author of the award-winning Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking, as well as other books on cheesemaking and running a dairy. Applying a holistic, organic management approach to the health of her goats comes naturally for Gianaclis: She was raised on an organic farm; her parents were chiropractors; and she pursued a career in nursing. Her aged, raw milk cheeses have been recognized and applauded by America’s foremost authorities on cheese, and Gianaclis has traveled extensively across the country presenting workshops on cheesemaking and troubleshooting goat health problems. She continues to teach in-person cheesemaking classes on the farm.