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Old 06-30-2014, 11:06 AM
simonmark6 simonmark6 is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Swansea, South Wales, UK
Posts: 374
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Goats are good too if you can get them.

A half dozen pygmy goats are as easy to keep as chickens and you can get about a quarter gallon of milk a day from each of the girls. If you have six and a billy you'd be getting a gallon and a half a day.

I'd split that into different production areas. If you have vinegar, easy with a still you can use half a gallon to make soft cheese, enough for a meal for four people. Then I'd skim the rest so you have a pound of butter a day and a couple of pints of skimmed milk.

Potatoes and skimmed milk can keep you alive if you have to but it's risky.

In addition, each dam will drop one to two kids a year which can be used to increase the herd or to sell on. They're too valuable for meat.

The shit is also good for fertiliser and if they are a long haired variety you can even comb out enough hair for a really nice sweater every few months.

Bigger goats are good too, you can get by with two if you have a billy that can cover them nearby. Each will produce a gallon of milk. More than that will be wasted for the normal family as you can't store the milk unless you're making hard cheese which takes a lot more steps.

Sheep are similar but they're stupid buggers and a lot more work. The wool is nice though.
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