Including information on cattle pigs poultry sheep and goats and exotics like bison rabbits elk and deer How can anyone from a backyard hobbyist to a large-scale rancher go about raising and selling ethically produced meats directly to consumers restaurants and butcher shops With the rising consumer interest in grass-fed pasture-raised and antibiotic-free meats how can farmers most effectively tap into those markets and become more profitable The regulations and logistics can be daunting enough to turn away most would-be livestock farmers and finding and keeping their customers challenges the rest Farmer consultant and author Rebecca Thistlethwaite Farms with a Future and her husband and coauthor Jim Dunlop both have extensive experience raising a variety of pastured livestock in California and now on their homestead farm in Oregon The New Livestock Farmer provides pasture-based production essentials for a wide range of animals from common farm animals cattle poultry pigs sheep and goats to more exotic species bison rabbits elk and deer Each species chapter discusses the unique requirements of that animal then delves into the steps it takes to prepare and get them to market Profiles of more than fifteen meat producers highlight some of the creative ways these innovative farmers are raising animals and direct-marketing superior-quality meats In addition the book contains information on a variety of vital topics xxA xA Governmental regulations and how they differ from state to state xxA xA Slaughtering and butchering logistics including on-farm and mobile processing options and sample cutting sheets xxA xA Packaging labeling and cold-storage considerations xxA xA Principled marketing practices and xxA xA Financial management pricing and other business essentials This book is must reading for anyone who is serious about raising meat animals ethically outside of the current consolidated unsustainable CAFO Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations systemxA It offers a clear thorough well-organized guide to a subject that will become increasingly important as the market demand for pasture-raised meat grows stronger.
