A Field Guide To Cows

Informative, amazing, and amusing, this indispensable guide provides facts on America's 52 breeds of cattle. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

The first full-color, illustrated pocket guide to North American cattle, this handy book profiles more than 60 breeds of beef, dairy, and draft cattle. Whether you are farming 50 head of cattle or raising one cow--or simply want to learn about where your milk and meat come from--this invaluable resource will tell you everything you need to know. The field guide offers a wealth of information, from practical tips for communicating with bulls and reading a cows body language to the history and science behind crossbreeding and herd instincts. Mooing, milking, and calving; horns, bovine digestion, and the difference between dairy wedge, beef block, and draft shoulders--these topics and many more are covered in depth for breeds as familiar as Holstein, Hereford, Angus, and Jersey and as rare as Florida Cracker and Randall Lineback. With its interesting facts, 150 color photographs, glossary, breed classification table, and resource list, The Field Guide to Cattle is the essential guidebook to North Americas cattle breeds.

This informative and amusing book makes it possible for even the novice to identify and get to know America's 52 breeds of cattle, from the black-&-white Holstein to the shaggy, long-horned Highland. Every entry in this entertaining yet completely usable book features an illustration that highlights a breed's most identifiable traits, such as coloration pattern and body shape. Filled with facts and lore about all breeds, it also offers a glossary of terms, the lowdown on cheese, historic cattle trails and famous cows, and a checklist so the cow watcher can keep track of sightings. Fascinating cow trivia and cartoons are abundantly available for grazing throughout the book.

Did you know that Bad-Tempered Bradford Cattle are used for rodeos? Impress friends and relatives with interesting facts about 45 breeds of cattle, including their appearance, personality, history, breeding, milk-producing capabilities, and other fun facts. From the strong Ayrshire who produces ideal milk for ice cream, to the pampered Wagyu, whose beef is said to reduce cholesterol, this fascinating guide will turn both adults and children into cow enthusiasts.

"Features over 60 detailed breed profiles; covers physical characteristics, behavior & breeding; contains a handy glossary and resource section."-- Cover, p.1.

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John Pukite went back to the barnyard after the success of A Field Guide to Cowsand the result is a one-of-a-kind field guide to the true star of any farmyard-the pig. Although swine have roamed fields and forests for centuries, this guide is the first to offer easy-to-understand descriptions and illustrations of the world's most popular breeds. Whether it is the massive Poland China or the roly-poly Vietnamese Potbelly, A Field Guide to Pigsis the one-stop reference for endless little-known facts, fascinating tidbits about pig behavior, and even etiquette for when you visit the farm. Casual pig watchers and porcinologists alike are sure to learn something new on every page.

An intimate memoir on the work and wonder of ranch life, critiquing the inhumane and environmentally destructive factory farm system and offering sustainable alternatives for ethical omnivores. Although there are nearly 100 million cattle in the United States, these animals are often ignored or dismissed. In Meditations with Cows, Shreve Stockton inspires a more reverential attitude toward these affectionate and intelligent creatures as she shares captivating stories and photos of ranch life. At the center of the narrative is Daisy, the matriarch of the herd. Through the daily ritual of milking, Stockton forges a relationship with Daisy that deepens with each passing season: "When you have a milk cow, you are together every day, no matter the weather, no matter either of your moods. The hind leg of this twelve-hundred-pound animal towers over you as you crouch beside her... both of you aware of the fact that one well-aimed kick could kill you if she wished. Yet you are allowed to rest your cheek and forehead against her warm belly as you milk... her trust in you entwined with your trust in her, you become family." For anyone who loves animals or cares about the environmental impact of their food, Stockton explores conservation and the important role of cattle in local ecosystems, models the humane treatment of animals, and shows how pastured cattle can be our allies in averting climate crisis. Blending together narrative, science, and thoughtful reflection, Meditations with Cows offers a moving portrait of the rhythms of work, life, and hardship on the ranch.