0 Raising Sheep for Milk

Raising sheep for milk is not something new. It has been done for thousands of years. This practices was common in Europe near Mediterranean Sea but has now spread far. In the US, the industry is still new and mostly in the New England and Upper Midwest. Sheep milk is highly nutritious as compared to cow or goak milk. It is richer in calcium, vitamins A, B, and E , potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. The major health benefit that comes with the short- and medium-chain fatty acids from sheep milk is that it makes it easier for the human body to digest the milk.

Something I learned a few years ago was that the raw milk my sheep produce can be stored for weeks at a time. Making it much easier to make cheese in larger batches. Freezing the milk does not alter its ability to make cheese in any way. In fact, the world’s most famous cheese comes from sheep milk. The high solid content found in sheep milk,  averaging around 7.5%, gives it the ability to produce more cheese per pound of milk when compared to cow or goat milk. More than a dozen sheep breeds exist worldwide for milk production. The specialized dairy breeds produce 400 to 1100 pounds of milk per lactation while the conventional breeds produce from 100 to 200 pounds of milk per lactation.

Though many breeds might be used for milk production only a few really stand out. The most common and most productive dairy sheep breed is the East Friesian. On Average they produce 990 to 1100 pounds per 220 to 240 day lactation. The other productive dairy breeds are Assaf and fat-tailed Awassi that have their origin from Israel. Why would you want to raise sheep for milk? Cos do produce a lot of milk but are really large animals, they also don’t do well on hills or rocky land. And as previously mentioned,  their butterfat content is low in comparison. What has always made sheep a valuable small farm animal is its versatility. Certain breeds can produce milk, wool, meat, and even hides. Much of the world does not have large swaths of flatland that the US has, making goats and sheep a more prefered animal. Even in the US, because of the large amounts of land needed for cows sheep and goats can provide a great alternative. You can easily start raising dairy sheep on your farm and when you are not sure of the care you need to give them, doing research and asking always helps.

0 Raising Ducks at Home

Khaki Campbell Duck

For those who have never tried duck, it is a most delicious meat. What makes it most appealing to me is that it does have a more rich taste when compared to the very bland taste of chicken breast. If you like the darker meat on chicken and turkey, you will probably like duck. The breast of a duck actually looks like red meat. It has a somewhat similar rich iron like taste. I find it very peculiar that this wonderful bird has not caught on more in the US. Most ducks are not raised in large production like chickens. I would imagine because they don’t do nearly as well in tight quarters. In comparison 8 billion chickens a year are processed, only 25 million ducks a year are processed. A whopping 320 to 1 ratio. On a per person basis that is only ⅓ of a pound per year. Duck in my estimation is highly underrated.

I have found raising ducks to be much easier and less costly than chicken. Now again if you're talking about large scale production, i guess nothing beats chicken. However if the purpose is a family farm, than duck is an easy replacement. There are ducks that lay eggs equal to most chickens. Also most duck breeds are larger than chickens. So when i comes time to eat them, slaughtering them will produce more meat on an animal by animal basis. There are other reasons ducks should be looked into for a family farm. Some of the very productive breeds are also good sitters & mothers. Ducks are much better foragers than chickens. Even the good foraging chickens don’t compare to a duck.  They scour the land eating grass, leaves, weeds, bugs you name it. The few ducks I have survive mostly of pasture and haven’t lost much weight since they switched. If your into hobbies, down from a duck can provide another resource to use. It can work even if you are a novice as stuffing for pillows.

There are other traits that make them a great animal to have around. Most ducks are very cute and soft to hold. Generally they can't run that fast which makes them easier to catch and hold. Ducks run together in a small packed in bunch unlike chickens who scatter to the wind. You can easily walk behind them and get all 15 or whatever to go right where you want them. Just a joy to have around and in many ways can see how they could be a real pet. Many have stories of ducks who follow them around everywhere, and we have a similar story as well with our youngest boy. So even the pet sense, a average duck is easier keep than your average chicken. If your considering a small family farm, take my word for it, start with ducks you'll be glad you did.

0 Choosing the Right Breed of Goat

Angora Goats

Goats are incredible creatures and fun to keep in your farm or backyard. If you are able to keep them, the offer a great “green” solution to weed and lawn cutting. If you never used goats for milk or meat, and just kept these easy to keep animals for the lawn cutting benefit, if would be a win. It would take 5 goats per acre to keep you grass cut for the whole year. Depending on where you live, you may not ever need to feed them. Saving  yourself many hours of cutting, not to mention the gas and maintenance. If this is your aim, then you can get just about any type of goat. My neighbor sells goats for $50 each that I would say fit this purpose. They are mixed breeds and they rarely ever give them anything else to eat.

When choosing the right breed of goats for other than grass cutting, analyzing your needs is very important to determine whether you need breeds that are best in meat, milk, or fiber production. Doing some research and consultation before getting any goats is a good idea. The knowledge that can be easily gotten from the internet is amazing. Breeders and goat enthusiasts share many issues and tips in many different places. Storey Books has a couple of really great books as well on milk goats and meat goats. Breeds of goat are increasing in America due to the increasing demand of goat meat and therefore breeds that never existed here are being imported to helping in supplying the demand.

A number of breeds are available for meat, milk, and fiber production. Among the breeds of goat is the Alpine, also referred to as French Alpine. This breed originated from the Alps and has upright ears ranging from medium to large in size. Although this breed is a seasonal breeder, the goats are hardy, have variety of colors, and adaptable. The milk produced by the breed has approximately 3.5% butterfat. The other more common breeds that produce milk are The LaMancha, Nubian or Anglo-Nubians, Oberhasli, Saanen, Toggenburg, and Nigerian Dwarf. With the latter said to have the highest butterfat content of all of them. The average weight obtained, from these breeds is about 2000 pounds per year. The Spanish & Boer breeds are known to be the best for meat production. However, extra meat can be found from dairy goats when culls and their unwanted kids are butchered.

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There is even yet another reason for goat rearing, and that is for fiber. Of all the goats only one breed really makes the cut. That is the Angora goat, originating from Turkey, it produces mohair. A fiber most commonly known to be used in carpet, but it has many uses. The picture I used is of an Angora goat, it is a beautiful goat. Cashmere also comes from goats, but it is the hair under the main coat of just about any goat other than an Angora. If you sold the unfinished mohair from an Angora, you could expect about $37 per year from each of them. Though that would require two clippings per year and does take a bit of time.

The backyard goat requires much less room or equipment as compared to a cow. Their small size makes them easier to manage, although having a higher fence is recommended. With many seeking ways to be more self sustaining, goats are a very economical way to go. If you are thinking of raising goats for meat I would suggest finding a place that serves goat first as the American palette is not used to the taste. Not to worry, as many foreigners are used to eating goat. You can always market the one’s you don’t want, especially during religious holidays. If you bought some milk goats, and used them for cheese and other by products, then sold off the extra while getting them to cut your grass, you would have a very economical animal indeed.

0 Why Sheep Should Be On The List For Your Family Farm

Sheep Grazing

Sheep are gentle and docile. Looking at the reasons why raising sheep on a small homestead farm made sense to me, I figured I would detail them out. Although I am currently raising my sheep for meat, sheep can be raised for wool, milk, and even for their hide, making them a very versatile animal. After reading about a number of different types of livestock I concluded that raising sheep is relatively simple. There are a couple of reasons why I say this. Sheep don’t require fancy or expensive housing, good tree cover would do but a simple wooden structure with hay would do. You can get more on a smaller piece of land than cows, bison, or deer. The space that a cow and its calf occupy is the same space that six ewes with their offspring would occupy comfortably. They don’t require as rugged fencing as do cows, mainly just because of the cows sheer size. Also as a homesteader, butchering a cow will require special equipment. You’ll need a pretty hefty hoist and every time you butcher one, you better have a large place to store all that meat.

Sheep are active grazers. They feed on grass, brush, and weeds growing on poor soil. Sheep can feed on weeds that cows would never eat, eating on pasture well into the fall and winter. Cows are known as luxury grazers. However, feeding them at times is still wise, especially during mating and lambing season or when the pasture is on the ground level. Sheep are less susceptible to diseases but are known to be more susceptible to parasites. So keeping their housing in a hygienic condition is beneficial.

Raising sheep for meat is a start really for me. At some point I would like to add milk sheep to my farm but that would require far more time than I currently have to devote. Wool stocks are very high, primarily coming from Australia and New Zealand. I don’t have a desire to craft items out of wool, so I stick with hair breeds to avoid having to sheer then. If needed I could use the  manure produced in my garden but right now I have more space than sheep, so I let the nutrients seep back into the pasture. I will at some point love to try my hand at making leather from the sheep skin, when I do start butchering my sheep.

In closing, sheep are small enough that they are manageable; don’t require much in the way of special equipment. And they are certainly versatile on a small family farm. With all that said you should however enjoy the taste of lamb for it to make sense. Hard for me to imagine people don’t if you like red meat but there are those that do not. If you’re considering a livestock animal, sheep are worth considering.

2 Choosing from Different Breeds of Chickens

Brown Leghorn Rooster

Understanding the traits of the breed of animal, in this case chickens are really important to keep in mind. Having the right breeds to accomplish what your end goal is, increases your chances of being successful and happy with your selection. Chickens are mainly kept for their meat or for their eggs. However some people simply enjoy the beauty and personal enjoyment of keeping the and may even show their chickens in competition. 

Choosing the right breed of chicken can be overwhelming and this is because of their variety. Some would find going with one type of breed quite easy but I decided to choose a variety of breeds when starting out. Using various books and internet sources I looked into the abilities and purposes of each breed. I considered a number of things before choosing the right breeds of chicken like the climate pattern of the area I live in, whether they were known for egg laying or meat, the ability of the breed to forage, it’s temperament, and the amount of space I have. Having the right weather for the chickens is crucial for success when raising chicken, because stress can make them more susceptible to disease or reduce the egg laying ability. 

When you have a small backyard, it is logical for you to choose the right breed of chicken based on practicality. You may also choose to have a small quantity of great egg layers. It may also be a good reason why you find people with chickens kept solely for appearances. Such breeds have colorful feathers, silly head plumage, and fluffy bottoms. The things that I urge you to consider when choosing the right breed of chicken include purchasing variety of breeds. You need to take note of the breed personality and this is because some are assertive, docile, better forgers, and some like interacting with humans. You need not buy many chicks because they grow big very fast and will need a lot of space to move around. Considering your management style, facilities, and climate is crucial. This helps in preparation of the care given to different breeds of chicken as some are high maintenance.

As I set out I determined that egg laying chickens are what I wanted. I also wanted to make sure, living in Florida, that the breeds I choose would be well adapted to the very hot climate. Lastly I wanted to have a chicken that might be able to forage well on its own, in order to keep the feed cost lower. Three breeds I chose to start off were:

Brown Leghorn – Leghorns are legendary for their egg production and are the basis for many cross breed production chickens. The brown leghorn as opposed to the traditional white is known to be a better forager but produces fewer eggs. The last quality is its tolerance for heat, which again being in Florida is important.

Egyptian Fayoumi – These are a rare breed of chicken coming from Egypt as the name implies, so it’s heat tolerance is high. It is said to be able to survive on forage alone, of course you need a good amount of space for them to find food. They are a good producer of eggs although small eggs. Another quality I found very useful is that they are known to be highly disease resistant. The deal breaker for me on the Egyptian Fayoumi was that the it matures fast! At only 4 to 4 ½ months they start laying.

Ameraucana – They do well in many climates, lay around 250 light blue eggs a year. The Ameraucana is also a docile bird that is easily managed. Unlike the Brown Leghorn and Egyptian Fayoumis, these chickens are not flighty. They are easy to catch and can be held and enjoyed.

Since the original three breed we have expanded to add a number of others. All beautiful in their own way but for me the Leghorn and Fayoumis will always be part of my flock.

2 I am considering raising geese in the New Year

Pilgrim Geese

In addition to a garden, chicken, ducks, and some fruit trees, raising geese is something I am considering in the New Year. After taking some time the last few weeks to sort out the chicken coop, I started thinking if it might be a good time to consider adding another animal into the mix. There is of course some preparation that I will need to take in before I get them but it is definitely on the radar for 2013. One of my friends +Jimmy Cooper bought a number of them but ended up losing them to predators. If you are at all considering raising birds for meat, I think goose has to be a strong contender. Not because it is the most prolific, it isn't  no it is simply about its size. If you are going to kill an animal to eat, it is always nice when you can kill one animal and have enough for a few meals. Not so much that you would have to prepare it for longer term storage. Although geese have been raised for meat as far back as 2000 BC, they have never adapted to being intensively is farmed. Probably one reason there are few large geese farms.

From what I have read raising geese seems very easy. I have ducks so it sounds like they are very similar in many ways. Having eaten both on numerous occasions, I know that they taste the same. #Geese are known to be equally if not better forager than ducks. That is always a good thing when you have lots of land for them to run on. This helps keep food cost down, as I have seen with my ducks who many days eat off the land entirely. Some say that geese can serve as guard animals to the farm, and given their large size and sometimes grumpy disposition I can see why.

Among the poultry kept on a farm, geese seem to be the easiest and cheapest to keep. A few reasons other than foraging ability are that insects, pests, or diseases rarely affect them. When geese are two weeks old, their food becomes simple. All you need to give them is plenty of water and quality grass for them to add one pound weekly until they are 12 weeks old. At this stage, they are called green geese and their meat is ready for making meals. Geese do not require fancy housing as they prefer staying in the open even during the night. A three sided shed is however necessary during severe weather for them to keep dry. A fence of up to 36 inches is enough to hold them. Another item of note is that unlike chickens, they prepare their own nests and hatch their own eggs. Seems strange to me that the seemingly high economic benefits have never translated into more being grown and eaten.

0 Have you Ever Considered Raising Meat Rabbits?

Rabbits are fun to raise when you are properly prepared. However, ways of making sure rabbits remain comfortable and safe can be a challenge during the winter given the cold temperatures and predators.  There are different reasons why rabbits are raised, fun, education, for showing, meat, fur, and even for laboratory use. As a commercial enterprise, many have found it that it is not very profitable. The market for human consumption in the US is low, but many have found raising rabbits can be very meaningful for reducing personal meat consumption and when your business is dog breeding.
I don’t currently nor do I plan on breeding dogs, but I do have an interest in having rabbits for meat. I know many people don’t look at rabbits as a food. And after all they are extremely cute, but who decided that only ugly animals should be eaten? I personally have eaten rabbit before and find it very tasty. As a matter of fact, rabbit meat is more healthy on a number of levels when compared to other meat. Rabbit is lower in cholesterol and higher in protein. If your objective in a more sustainable lifestyle, than rabbits are probably the best animal to choose. For example; a rabbit can produce 6 pounds of meat on the same amount of food and water it would take for a cow to produce one. This number is staggering. I might not suggest going at it today if you have never eaten rabbit before or are very skittish about slaughtering animals.  Though if your desire might be to preserve some semblance of food control, I would suggest finding a restaurant that serves rabbit and at least trying it out. That would be a good way to determine if it might even make sense for you to start.

A few items to consider if you go down that road; choosing the right rabbit breed, having the right facilities for them to live in (called a hutch), and knowing what to feed them. The first item is really pretty easy, there a numerous meat rabbit breed. So named because they grow larger and are efficient at putting on weight with less feed. Most people do not realize that rabbits eat grass, and lots of it. Here in Florida you can grow alfalfa in the summer and rye grass in the winter to feed them. The rabbit hutch is very easy to construct and can be made of either metal, wood or a combination of both.  The cost for a few rabbits will run about $120 in material or $300 if you buy it. I believe a world with a growing population and grazing land that is ever scarcer, meat rabbits make for an excellent solution for providing a cheaper alternative as a healthy protein source.