Cattle Books My Picks

Cattle Books My Picks is a listing of the top 10 books I believe are most informative and closely related to beef and dairy cattle farming educational materials. I fully expected more of this type book in the top 10 Best Sellers list.

Click on arrow and the books will rotate around the carrousel. Click on the book cover to go direct to the book on Amazon for more information. Also see short blurb about each item below.

Update:
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1. Beef Cattle 8th Edition

The most complete text and reference on contemporary beef cattle production available. New edition merges current production technology with management and flexible marketing. Text organization reflects the industry: cow-calf (including purebred herds), stocker or growing phase, and the feedlot or finishing phase. Explains scientific basis of beef production. Describes proven management techniques for efficient production.

2. Dairy Cattle Science (3rd Edition)

Dairy Cattle Science is a excellent handbook reviewing most aspects concerning dairy farming and consulting. There are very good chapters on nutrition, management and reproduction (breeding) for instance. Ofcourse this book is mainly for US situations but very useful for other parts of the World.

This book has great information about Dairy Farming. It gives you a good overview of all the factors that a dairy producer would face. However what was very disappointing was the sheer lack of any color pictures. I believe that any text book published in this day and age should have color images rather than black and white ones. Many of the photographs in this book were faded and did not provide a high degree of detail. For a book costing over $100, this was disappointing.

3. Factors Affecting Calf Crop

Factors Affecting Calf Crop summarizes the latest information available from leading cattle physiologists and geneticists regarding factors known to influence the production of live calves at weaning.

 You get practical information on management techniques for improving reproduction efficiency in the herd. You'll also learn about the functioning of the reproductive system and how this may affect reproductive processes in the cow herd.

Managers will benefit from a clearer understanding of the factors known to limit efficient reproduction, while veterinarians and other professionals who advise cattlemen will appreciate the substantial reference material and color photographs for defining cow condition scores.

Color photographs are also used to illustrate the discussions of testicular thermographies and their applications.

Other chapters in the book cover developments in improving reproductive performance of the replacement heifer, the brood cow, and the bull.

Topics on reproduction include physiology/endocrinology, the use of growth promotants, genetics and physiological and economic considerations in selecting the age to breed heifers, heritability of fertility, length of the breeding season, prepartum and postpartum nutrition, nursing by the calf, cloning of embryos, and much more.

4. Beef Cattle Production: An Integrated Approach

Important information on nutrition, reproduction, and genetics! This volume begins by dealing primarily with the management of the cow herd, followed by management of the pre-weaned and post-weaned calf. A chapter detailing the business management aspect of beef cattle production provides much useful information as well. As technology continues to evolve and the economy changes, the business of raising cattle is becoming more complex. The Thomas book helps readers understand the importance of a good business background in being successful in the beef cattle industry.

5. Beef Cattle Feeding and Nutrition, Second Edition (Animal Feeding and Nutrition)

This new edition of T.W. Perry's classic reference provides both updated, and new information on the feeding and nutritional requirements of beef cattle, from breeding [or growing] to finishing.

All the critical components of diet are dealt with: vitamins, minerals, protein, silage, etc. The different nutritional needs of breeding cattle are also detailed.

Thoroughly updated to help ranchers and feedlot managers maximize yield and efficiency, this Second Edition should be on the shelves of all those involved with beef cattle herd management and production.

6. Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle: Seventh Revised Edition: Update 2000 (Nutrient Requirements of Domestic Animals: A Series)

As the public becomes more conscience of the food they consume and its content, higher standards are expected in the preparation of such food. The updated seventh edition of Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle explores the impact of cattle's biological, production, and environmental diversities, as well as variations on nutrient utilization and requirements. More enhanced than previous editions, this edition expands on the descriptions of cattle and their nutritional requirements taking management and environmental conditions into consideration. The book clearly communicates the current state of beef cattle nutrient requirements and animal variation by visually presenting related data via computer-generated models.

Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle expounds on the effects of beef cattle body condition on the state of compensatory growth, takes an in-depth look at the variations in cattle type, and documents the important effects of the environment and stress on food intake. This volume also uses new data on the development of a fetus during pregnancy to prescribe nutrient requirements of gestating cattle more precisely. By focusing on factors such as product quality and environmental awareness, Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle presents standards and advisements for acceptable nutrients in a complete and conventional manner that promotes a more practical understanding and application.

7. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Seventh Revised Edition

This widely used reference has been updated and revamped to reflect the changing face of the dairy industry. New features allow users to pinpoint nutrient requirements more accurately for individual animals. The committee also provides guidance on how nutrient analysis of feed ingredients, insights into nutrient utilization by the animal, and formulation of diets to reduce environmental impacts can be applied to productive management decisions.

The book includes a user-friendly computer program on a compact disk, accompanied by extensive context-sensitive "Help" options, to simulate the dynamic state of animals.

The committee addresses important issues unique to dairy science-the dry or transition cow, udder edema, milk fever, low-fat milk, calf dehydration, and more.

8. Small-Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass-Based Approach for Health, Sustainability, and Profit

This book is worth its weight in gold! This is a comprehensive guide to farming with livestock using a natural, logical approach. It is an indispensible tool for those just starting out, yet also provides valuable information for the seasoned farmer. In this book you will find numerous case studies of farmers successfully using a natural,grass based approach.

The section on grass farming basics offers helpful guidelines on pasture management, and rotational grazing.

The animal husbandry section provides a wealth of information in an easy to understand format.
Even though I have had livestock for 15 years, I still learned a great deal from this book. I found the sections on marketing your farm products and farm planning extremely helpful, including ideas for converting a currently unprofitable farm into an integrated thriving entity.
The numerous tables and worksheets are easy to understand and are a great help with financial planning and monitoring.

If you have always wanted to farm, or if you want your current farm to be profitable, then this is the book!

9. Running a Small Beef Herd (Landlinks Press)

Running a Small Beef Herd provides an introduction to beef production for those about to enter the industry and is an ongoing reference for anyone managing a small herd of beef cattle on their property. Fundamental considerations such as the economics of beef production, the selection of a suitable beef enterprise to match a particular property and level of experience are covered. It considers various systems suitable for a small beef operation: steer fattening, cow and calf systems, foster calves and multiple suckling, and lot feeding.

Running a Small Beef Herdoffers practical advice on buying cattle, marketing methods for particular types of cattle and specifications for markets. Cattle handling, necessary husbandry practices such as castration and vaccination, herd health, reproductive management, nutrition and carrying capacity are also explored.

This updated edition expands on the systems of beef production, breeds, breed management, supplementary feeding, drought management, ear tagging requirements and soil health and fertility.

10. The Ruminant Animal : Digestive Physiology and Nutrition

Excellent reference because of its quality and in-depth coverage! This volume represents a compilation of important information on major topics related to nutrient requirements and nutrient metabolism among ruminants. This outstanding collection facilitates the dissemination of this ever-growing body of knowledge and is a valuable tool for achieving a more complete understanding of the subject. An abundance of photographs, diagrams, and tables illustrate and reinforce the text, serving to enhance reader comprehension.

This book is a very good compilation of major information related to nutrition of ruminants. The best thing is that explain all the mechanism of nutrient utilization and it doesn't stay only in nutrient requirement. This is the best mix between a nutrition and a physiology book. A lot of tables and diagrams complete the information for a better understanding. Each chapter have a complete list of references and additional readings that allow you to complete deeper knowledge about any subject.

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