Our Best Cattle Books

The Cattle Health Handbook by Heather Smith Thomas The Cattle Health Handbook is the essential medical reference for farmers and ranchers confronting day-to-day bovine health issues.

Coyote Cowboy Poetry

by Baxter Black
Baxter Black's poetry and commentary on the ordinary life of cowboys, farmers, ranchers and rural vets is an entertaining look at a slice of disappearing American life.

Australian Cattle Dog: An Owners Guide

by Buetow/Breeton
Total care and training.

Beef Cattle Production : An Integrated Approach by Verl Thomas 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.

Cactus Tracks & Cowboy Philosophy  

by Baxter Black
Ol' Baxter has done it again! He manages to mix humor with social commentary, kind'a makes you think and belly laugh at the same time. 

Pasture Profits With Stocker Cattle

by Allan Nation 
How to make money with stockers on grass.

Greener Pasture on Your Side of the Fence

by Bill Murphy 
Better Farming With Voisin Management-Intensive Grazing.

A Guide to Raising Beef Cattle (Storey Animal Handbook) by Heather Smith Thomas Very complete, concise, and informative.  If you're just gonna buy one, this is it!

A Brand Is Forever

by Ann Herbert Scott, Ronald Himler
A children's story.

The Complete Cow   by Sara Rath From ancient bovine myths to the pop culture surrounding famous cows, this book takes a light-hearted yet serious look at cows of the world. 80 color photos. 50 illustrations.

Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle

by National Research Council
What your cows need to eat.

Salad Bar Beef

by Joel F. Salatin
How to direct market your beef.

Herding Dogs: Progressive Training    by V. S. Holland This book covers the basics of herding. It presents the concepts clearly and provides some good trouble shooting sections. This book for anyone who is beginning to work a herding dog or who is considering purchasing a Border collie.

The Merck Veterinary Manual (8th Ed)

by Susan E. Aiello & Asa Mays 
The best general veterinary reference book around!  Refer to this book if you want to know what your Vet is talking about. It is relatively easy for the average animal owner to understand.  You will learn about animal physiology, behavior, management, nutrition, pharmacology, toxicology and general management.

You Can Farm : The Entrepreneur's Guide to Start & Succeed in a Farming Enterprise   by Joel F. Salatin &  Allan Nation    Wish I'd had this book 30 years ago, but the author was a child at the time.

Beef Cattle

A classic textbook.

Bob Sharp's Cattle Country : Rawhide Ranching on Both Sides of the Border

by Robert L. Sharp
A memoir of the life of a cattle rancher in the 1920's.

Beef Cattle Science (Animal Agriculture Series)

by M.E. Ensminger
It's 7th edition.

A Field Guide to Cows: How to Identify and Appreciate America's 52 Breeds by John Pukite Informative, amazing, and amusing.

Cattle Ailments : Recognition and Treatment

by Eddie Straiton
Treat 'em yourself.

Fences for Pasture and Garden

by K Foster
The complete guide to choosing, planning, and building today's best fences: wire, rail, electric, high-tension, temporary, woven, and snow.

Moving 'Em, A Guide to Low Stress Animal Handling

by Burt Smith 
Describes low stress herding techniques which allow herd animals to be moved between locations calmly and quickly.

Your Calf : A Guide to Raising and Showing Beef Calves by Heather Thomas Smith  Kid's guide to raising and showing calves.

Beef Cattle Production : An Integrated Approach

by Verl Thomas 
Important information on nutrition, reproduction, and genetics!

Raising a Calf for Beef

by Phyllis Hobson 
Beginners book on freezer beef.

Steak Lover's Cookbook by  William Rice  Simple recipes for every part of the cow, from an elegant steak au poivre ("The True Steak," made with filet mignon) to Chicken-Fried Steak with Pan Gravy.

FUTURES 101: An Introduction to Commodity Trading 

by Richard E. Waldron 
If you're looking for a good book with an overview of futures, this one works.

Small-Scale Livestock Farming : A Grass-Based Approach for Health, Sustainability, and Profit by Carol Ekarius  This isn't a cookbook, with a simple recipe for success in agriculture, because there is no such thing. But it is a book that will help you design a system that works for you, and that is environmentally and socially friendly.