Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of The Beginner's Guide to Raising Goats: How to Keep a Happy Herd by Amber Bradshaw from Callisto Media via NetGalley in exchange for possibly writing a review.

My sister expressed an interest in goats, so when I saw this book, I thought I would read it and give her an idea of what she would be in for if she one day acquired some. I would never recommend a person take on caretaking any animals after reading just one book. However, if you are thinking about taking on goats, this book will give you a very good idea of what to expect. I liked that this book is not super technical. It truly is for beginners. She provides lots of practical information, including an idea of how much things cost and step-by-step instructions on how to do things like build a goat manger. It is a tremendous resource for a new goat parent.

Bonus points for the cute goat photos.

An interesting look at raising goat’s with the thought and care that comes with having this type of livestock. From picking out a breed, feed, care, housing, breeding, and many more. Pretty much all the basic for a beginner.

What did I like? Not only does the author give you the basics but also gives you the cost of keeping a goat healthy and what it takes to feed a goat. I’m sure many people get goats only to later realize what the cost associated with livestock truly entails. Not to mention the work keeping the goat healthy, and well fed. This is a truly remarkable beginner guide, and I enjoyed it.

Would I recommend or buy? If I was looking to buy a couple of goats, this would be a great guide to have. It give you plenty of specifics and a ton of information. I’m not in the market yet for buying goats but looking at this guide I can tell I will have to put a lot more thought into the process. I think anyone looking to add goats to there livestock then this is a great start.

I received a complimentary copy to read. Five stars! A wealth of information!

Great resource guide. Easy to follow and full of information!!

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. These opinions are my own.

I received this ebook in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book is a very good resource for anyone thinking about owning goats. There are many benefits of raising goats but as with any livestock they need a herd, meaning a minimum of two goats or more. There is a lot of information in this book about the different types of goats; meat goats, milk goats and fiber goats. The book discusses several breeds of goats and their main use.

I would suggest anyone thinking about having their own homestead read this book to help you decide if goats are the correct animal to help them become more self sufficient.

The Beginner’s Guide to Raising Goats is a tutorial and instruction guide to goat-keeping by Amber Bradshaw. Due out 14th July 2020 from Callisto on their Rockridge Press imprint, it's 180 pages (for the print copy) and available in paperback and ebook formats (ebook is available now). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

The author has an inviting and engaging style of writing and does a great job of sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm for goats and quality goat husbandry. The introductory chapters cover the positive benefits of goatkeeping and some of what's entailed in adding goats to the reader's life, choosing goats (to prevent potential problems later), and preparing a home which will suit them (and you). The following chapters cover subjects more deeply: structures, cleanliness, training, routine care and maintenance, health & breeding, producing milk, meat (and processing), goats for fiber, and food recipes for meat & dairy.

Recipe ingredients are listed bullet style in a sidebar. Measurements are in American standard only. Tips and alternatives for the recipes are contained in highlighted text boxes. The book includes a short author bio, but lacks any index, metric conversions, or a general ingredients list. The bibliography and resource lists will provide lots of possibilities for further learning and reading.

This is a useful and well written book. It's graphically appealing and typeset in a clear, easy to read font, but the photography is not abundant. This would not be my *first* choice for a goatkeeping book to learn from, but it would make an excellent choice to add to the homesteader's (or those interested in living a more self-reliant lifestyle) libraries.

Four and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.