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[Shogger]

In my last fort, my meat industry was kind of a mess. I had goats, reindeer, pigs, and donkeys (which I later found out were not viable, as they ate about four times as much as the aforementioned animals.) Since cats and birds don't provide any meat when slaughtered anymore, I want to have livestock that will provide enough meat to make a worthwhile part of the fortress' food supply, but not be so big that they can't eat enough to stay alive. I'm thinking of staying with pigs and goats, but are there any other animals that give plenty of meat?

[proxn_punkd]

Turkeys are large enough to provide meat when slaughtered, IIRC, and don't require feeding, plus they also lay eggs. Dogs can provide meat and don't require feeding. I also tend to strip PET_EXOTIC tags and turn the local populations of CURIOUS_BEASTs into livestock through judicious use of cage traps and well-placed stockpiles.

[blue emu]

Chickens are worthwhile for the Eggs.

[Reelyanoob]

Searching through the raws, those with the [PET] tag already, but not [GRAZER], other than Dogs, are Grizzly Bears, Black Bears and Tigermen. I don't think dwarves will eat a tigerman, but bear farming would have potential (plus Grizzlies can be trained). Embark in a temperate area or try your luck with the elves.

[Hyndis]

Poultry. Lots of them. Don't even eat them for meat. Just set up a 30x30 pasture zone with a door to it. Put a bunch of nest boxes in the pasture room.

Let the eggsplosion begin. You will not be able to cook all of the eggs.

If you want to increase the population just lock the door to the pasture zone for a season or two. The eggs cannot be collected and so the eggs will hatch. All of them. Hundreds of them!  D:

[Sutremaine]

Geese also appear to be no respecters of the popcap. So... many... goslings...

[iyaerP]

Train them as war geese. We already have a thread detailing the might of the war-rabbits.

[Sutremaine]

I was considering putting the nest boxes near the entrance, where a chained animal would normally go.

War geese would be insane. More balanced to give them a bit of rage, since geese can be quite aggressive.

[gentgeen]

Peafowl. They're very consistent egg layers, they generate 8 meat and fat on butchering, and grow to full size in just one year (turkeys take two years).

However, they like to roost in trees. Sounds kinda elfy.

[Sutremaine]

They also don't dump your dwarves on the roof due to their magical flying skills.

Unfortunately, they're not always available.

[Renzuko]

what do you mean roost in tree's?

also, never thought to do the whole, lock door, let turkey's breed thing...

[Mister Always]

what do you mean roost in tree's?

also, never thought to do the whole, lock door, let turkey's breed thing...

Peahens make their nests in trees IRL.

[gentgeen]

From the blue peafowl raws:

DESCRIPTION:A small forest bird. The male's tail creates an extravagant display for females. At night, they roost in the trees.

[Alastar]

Alastar likes turkeys for their efficiency and dogs for their military applications. He thinks heavy obsidian use and blood sacrifices in elaborate temple complexes would go well with that.

[Xorn]

Reindeer work for me, they provide plenty of meat and can also supply you with milk for cheese.
Alpacas or Llamas work too, since they can be sheared for wool if you ever feel short of it.
And a stray chicken is great, should you so desire 100billion eggs.