{"id":909,"date":"2012-03-30T07:40:03","date_gmt":"2012-03-30T11:40:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/199.102.224.51\/~ruralliv\/?p=909"},"modified":"2023-11-30T10:29:19","modified_gmt":"2023-11-30T17:29:19","slug":"review-backyard-cow-introductory-guide-family-cow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/livestock\/review-backyard-cow-introductory-guide-family-cow\/","title":{"rendered":"The Backyard Cow: Guide to Keeping a Productive Family Cow"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Backyard Cow is for &#8220;Those people who want to keep cattle on a small scale, be it for household dairy or recreational purposes (or both).\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It is written with the homesteader in mind.<\/p>\n<p>Does that sound like you?<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve had beef cattle before, but until I read this book, I didn\u2019t see any way I could ever keep a milk cow.<\/p>\n<p>Not enough space, not enough time, not enough knowledge.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" title=\"The Backyard Cow Book Review\" src=\"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/BackyardCow.300w.jpg\" alt=\"The Backyard Cow Book Review\" width=\"300\" height=\"386\" \/><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/livestock\/review-backyard-cow-introductory-guide-family-cow\/#The_Backyard_Cow_An_Introductory_Guide_to_Keeping_a_Productive_Family_Cow\" title=\"The Backyard Cow: An Introductory Guide to Keeping a Productive Family Cow\">The Backyard Cow: An Introductory Guide to Keeping a Productive Family Cow<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/livestock\/review-backyard-cow-introductory-guide-family-cow\/#The_Backyard_Cow_An_Easy_and_Fun_Read\" title=\"The Backyard Cow An Easy and Fun Read\">The Backyard Cow An Easy and Fun Read<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/livestock\/review-backyard-cow-introductory-guide-family-cow\/#Everything_Youll_Need_to_Know\" title=\"Everything You&#8217;ll Need to Know\">Everything You&#8217;ll Need to Know<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/livestock\/review-backyard-cow-introductory-guide-family-cow\/#Inside_the_World_of_a_Dairy_Cow\" title=\"Inside the World of a Dairy Cow\">Inside the World of a Dairy Cow<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/livestock\/review-backyard-cow-introductory-guide-family-cow\/#Have_You_Considered_a_Dairy_Cow\" title=\"Have You Considered a Dairy Cow?\">Have You Considered a Dairy Cow?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Backyard_Cow_An_Introductory_Guide_to_Keeping_a_Productive_Family_Cow\"><\/span>The Backyard Cow: An Introductory Guide to Keeping a Productive Family Cow<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>But author Sue Weaver has changed my mind.<\/p>\n<p>I now know that a cow does not take a lot of space or time.<\/p>\n<p>And with this book at my side, I\u2019d have just about all the knowledge I\u2019d need.<\/p>\n<p>As the author points out in the preface, most everything written about cattle is about managing herds of cattle, not the individual milk cow or steer for riding or field work.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Backyard_Cow_An_Easy_and_Fun_Read\"><\/span>The Backyard Cow An Easy and Fun Read<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Backyard Cow book is like a treasure hunt with both large chunks and wee tidbits of information.<\/p>\n<p>The main text itself is very interesting, thoroughly covering all the cow basics.<\/p>\n<p>But scattered throughout the book are additional little sidebars: anecdotes, quotations, poems, legends, and song lyrics about cows.<\/p>\n<p>The effect is a presentation of academic and scientific facts with a touch of playfulness.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Everything_Youll_Need_to_Know\"><\/span>Everything You&#8217;ll Need to Know<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The table of contents indicates the three main sections of the book: Meet the Cow, Have Fun \u2018Til the Cows Come Home, and Care for Your Cow.<\/p>\n<p>Three appendices explain Restraint, Clicker Training, and even Emergency Euthanasia.<\/p>\n<p>A cow glossary, resource list, and index complete the package.<\/p>\n<p>From cow breeds and history to behavior and purchase considerations, \u201cMeet the Cow\u201d covers it all.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHave Fun\u201d includes details on how to milk a cow, ride a steer, and raise a calf.<\/p>\n<p>There are recipes and instructions for several homemade dairy products which must be delicious made from fresh milk.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCare for Your Cow\u201d tells readers all about breeding and birthing, shelter, feeding, and health care.<\/p>\n<p>Picture this!<\/p>\n<p>Illustrations include sketches, diagrams, and delightful historical black and white photos.<\/p>\n<p>Line drawings demonstrate how-to steps for tasks such as milking a cow and tying a slip-knot halter.<\/p>\n<p>About halfway through the book readers are treated to an inset of 16 pages of beautiful full color photos of cows in fields, cows with children, and homemade dairy products.<\/p>\n<p>Right from the first pages of this book, I was on a learning curve.<\/p>\n<p>I usually think of breeds as having specific purposes, but that wasn\u2019t always the case.<\/p>\n<p>If you have a smaller plot of land, you may consider miniature cattle breeds.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Inside_the_World_of_a_Dairy_Cow\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" title=\"Owning a Dairy Cow\" src=\"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/cowinpasture-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Owning a Dairy Cow\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>Inside the World of a Dairy Cow<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Weaver explains, \u201cHistorically, most breeds were dual- or triple-purpose cattle.<\/p>\n<p>Herefords were developed as much to serve as brawny oxen as they were for their meat-making ability.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A beef breed with a dairy background makes a great family cow, producing sufficient milk while bearing calves that will provide good beef for the table.<\/p>\n<p>You mean cows can talk?<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve watched cows and thought they didn&#8217;t have much going in the social department.<\/p>\n<p>Yet Weaver explains the bovine communication system and even provides a code translation.<\/p>\n<p>She tells us how each group of cows<br \/>\nhas a hierarchy, with the \u201ctop cow\u201d getting first choice at everything.<\/p>\n<p>There will be other \u201cleaders\u201d with specific roles: perhaps one will lead the way out to pasture each morning, and another will direct the trek back to the milking parlor at the end of the day.<\/p>\n<p>Fascinating!<\/p>\n<p>But the book\u2019s big surprise for me was the chapter on riding steers.<\/p>\n<p>A plodding steer provides a leisurely trail ride or even a way to get from one place to another.<\/p>\n<p>Who knew?<\/p>\n<p>Weaver indicates that steers are in some ways easier to train and ride than horses.<\/p>\n<p>She has used her equine expertise to develop training methods that she explains in detail.<\/p>\n<p>One thing that was not a surprise to me was this quotation, a little Lithuanian proverb: It is difficult to teach a cow to climb a tree.<\/p>\n<p>Open Letter From a Kansas Rancher and Cowgirl Brandi Buzzard Frobose Rancher, wife, mama and steward of the land<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Have_You_Considered_a_Dairy_Cow\"><\/span>Have You Considered a Dairy Cow?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Oftentimes, people can be turned off by the amount of work (and milk!) that cows have a reputation for.<\/p>\n<p>However, with the right breed and cow, this is often not the case.<\/p>\n<p>Dairy cows can be a very manageable part of many homesteads.<\/p>\n<p>If you have any questions about milk cows, or wonder if you could ever keep one yourself, The Backyard Cow is a must-read.<\/p>\n<p>You will find yourself referencing this book often.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, it&#8217;s just a fun read overall.<\/p>\n<p>All the basics are there, along with much more!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve had beef cattle before, but until I read this book, I didn\u2019t see any way I could ever keep a milk cow.<\/p>\n<p>Not enough space, not enough time, not enough knowledge. But author Sue Weaver has changed my mind.<\/p>\n<p>I now know that a cow does not take a lot of space or time. And with this book at my side, I\u2019d have just about all the knowledge I\u2019d need.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":973,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"disable-jtr":false,"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"acf":[],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":973,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/cowinpasture-300x200.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/909"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=909"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/909\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rurallivingtoday.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}