Goat Wise | Meat Goats, Feeding Goats, Goat Fencing, Livestock Management
Ranked in the top 2% of podcasts globally.
Are you serious about raising goats but tired of advice that doesn't hold up in real life? Are you adding goats to your ranch or homestead and realizing they require different infrastructure, nutrition, and management than other livestock? Do you want fencing, feeding, and production systems that work under pressure?
You're in the right place.
I'm Millie Bradshaw, Animal Scientist and rancher. I grew up in the commercial cattle world, earned a Master's Degree in Animal Science, and now run a forage-based meat goat operation integrated with cattle in the high desert. We've built the infrastructure, refined the genetics, managed the forage, and learned firsthand what works — and what fails — when you're responsible for animals in a demanding environment.
On Goat Wise, we talk fencing that actually contains goats, feeding and mineral strategies that make sense for your operation, genetics that match your environment and your goals, and the kind of steady decision-making that holds up when conditions aren't ideal. Production-minded livestock management for people who are in this for real.
If you're ready to build systems that last, welcome to Goat Wise.
Episodes
Nov 24, 2025
Nov 24, 2025
10 min
Today we’re talking about the mindset that actually makes farming and homesteading sustainable. Not perfection and definitely not a life where everything is easy. We’re digging into gratitude, grit, and learning to find the good even in the messy parts of livestock and off-grid living. Let’s get to it!
Related Episodes:
02 | Overwhelmed? 4 Steps to Create a Practical Plan for adding Livestock to Your Homestead Successfully
15 | The Most Important Lesson We Learned Going Off-Grid, and How You Can Do the Same Thing to Simplify Your Off-Grid Plan
30 | Livestock Decision-Making: What to do When You Make a Wrong Decision and How to Use that Information to Make Progress
68 | New to Raising Livestock? Risk Management Strategies When the Learning Curve is Steep
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts + grab your free Kidding Due Date Chart: https://www.goatwise.com/kidding-chart
Join the insider email list: https://www.goatwise.com/join
Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com
Instagram: @drycreekpastures
More from the ranch: https://www.drycreekpastures.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Nov 17, 2025
Nov 17, 2025
15 min
Hi friends! Today I want to talk about the transition from conventional agriculture and livestock production to a regenerative or restorative system. I spent two days in the truck, listening to Will Harris’ book, A Bold Return to Giving a Damn, and it gave me some great insights into the decades-long journey of White Oak Pastures, as well as a look into the future of our ranch. If you’re considering a production system that is closer to nature’s design or if you’re in the messy middle like we are, this episode will help you see the possibilities, problems, and the beautiful potential. Let’s get to it!
Related Episodes:
53 | Livestock and Land Management that Works WITH Your Environment and Resources, Not Against Them
45 | Health Benefits of Ruminant Red Meat, Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed, and Special Characteristics of Goat Meat
21 | Seeking Sustainability? How to Evaluate Options and Make Decisions with a Sustainability Mindset
08 | When Animals Aren’t Working Out on the Homestead: How to Evaluate Your Livestock Projects and Decide to Keep or Sell
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts + grab your free Kidding Due Date Chart: https://www.goatwise.com/kidding-chart
Join the insider email list: https://www.goatwise.com/join
Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com
Instagram: @drycreekpastures
More from the ranch: https://www.drycreekpastures.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Nov 10, 2025
Nov 10, 2025
19 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about goat fence, specifically, a night trap which is one part of a big fence project we’re working on right now. A night trap is a pen that is used to securely contain goats while protecting them from predators. We’ve built a few of these over the years, and I’m going to give you the overview of how to do it with very little tools like we did in the beginning, to now, using some helpful equipment, but not required. Having a secure place to contain your goats will ease your mind and make raising goats so much easier. Let’s get to it!
Related Episodes:
55 | Fencing for Goats: Two Things You Must Have to Keep Your Goats Contained and Safe
56 | True or False? Goats are Escape Artists (Hint/ The Answer Is in Your Management Strategy)
13 | Using Electric Fence with Goats? What You Need to Know to Keep Your Goats Contained and Alive with Electric Netting
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts + grab your free Kidding Due Date Chart: https://www.goatwise.com/kidding-chart
Join the insider email list: https://www.goatwise.com/join
Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com
Instagram: @drycreekpastures
More from the ranch: https://www.drycreekpastures.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Nov 3, 2025
Nov 3, 2025
22 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about internal parasites, or worms, different species, the problems they cause, and how you can help your goats resist parasites, how to monitor your herd, and how to treat them when you need to. Internal parasites are one of the biggest problems that goat owners face, and being armed with some strategies to monitor, support, and treat your goats is the best defense against these little invaders. Let’s get to it!
Mentions:
https://kinderground.org
https://lakelandfarmandranch.com/usa/
Related Episodes:
08 | When Animals Aren’t Working Out on the Homestead: How to Evaluate Your Livestock Projects and Decide to Keep or Sell
17 | Do My Goats Need Mineral? How to Meet Their Micronutrient Needs and Keep the Herd Healthy
22 | What Is the Perfect Meat Goat? How to Choose the Right Breed for Your Farm or Homestead PART 1
23 | Boer vs Kiko, What Meat Goat Breed is the Best Fit for Your Farm or Homestead? PART 2
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts + grab your free Kidding Due Date Chart: https://www.goatwise.com/kidding-chart
Join the insider email list: https://www.goatwise.com/join
Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com
Instagram: @drycreekpastures
More from the ranch: https://www.drycreekpastures.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Oct 27, 2025
Oct 27, 2025
20 min
Hey there, thanks for listening today. I'm so glad you're here. If this episode helped you or encouraged you in some way, share the link with your homesteading friends and if you really want to help me out, click on over to Apple Podcasts and leave a rating and a review. You can connect with me on Instagram or email, linked in the show notes and meet me back here soon for more Get Goat Wise.
[MUSIC FADES OUT]
SHOW NOTES:
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about breed registries, making decisions based on performance data, livestock industry problems created by breeding for maximum production, and what you need to know before you decide if you should raise registered or unregistered goats. Let’s get to it!
Related Episodes:
22 | What Is the Perfect Meat Goat? How to Choose the Right Breed for Your Farm or Homestead PART 1
23 | Boer vs Kiko, What Meat Goat Breed is the Best Fit for Your Farm or Homestead? PART 2
27 | Which Goats Should I Keep to Breed? How to Select Replacement Does and Plan Your Goat Breeding Season
76 | How to Choose Future Breeding Bucks for Your Goat Herd
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts + grab your free Kidding Due Date Chart: https://www.goatwise.com/kidding-chart
Join the insider email list: https://www.goatwise.com/join
Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com
Instagram: @drycreekpastures
More from the ranch: https://www.drycreekpastures.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Oct 20, 2025
Oct 20, 2025
11 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about weaning goat kids, different methods for weaning, timing to prevent unintentional breeding by buck kids, if you should wean wether and doe kids at all, and how to decide what weaning strategy will work best for your goat herd and management system. Let’s get to it!
Mentions:
46 | Early Banding vs Late Banding in Buck Kids: Will Your Goats Be Healthy if You Band Them Early?
Related Episodes:
14 | When Should My Goats Kid? Timing Your Production Cycle to Optimize Goat Fertility and Forage Nutrition
20 | Lessons from Raising Livestock: 5 Problems That Can Be Avoided or Solved with a Good Mentor
26 | Is My Goat Old Enough to Breed? How To Decide When Your Does Are Ready Have Their First Kids
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts + grab your free Kidding Due Date Chart: https://www.goatwise.com/kidding-chart
Join the insider email list: https://www.goatwise.com/join
Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com
Instagram: @drycreekpastures
More from the ranch: https://www.drycreekpastures.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Oct 13, 2025
Oct 13, 2025
10 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about youth livestock programs, gaining wisdom by learning from experience, and the importance of teaching kids about livestock and where their food comes from. Whether kids are involved in a formal program or have their own projects on the homestead, farm, in the back yard, or even a rented space at a nearby farm, raising livestock can be a life-changing experience for kids. Let’s get to it!
Related Episodes:
12 | Raising Kids and Livestock? Teach Life Lessons, Build Character, and Strengthen Your Relationships While Raising Animals
18 | Interview with Sage Bradshaw on Life with Livestock and 4-H Projects PART 1
19 | Interview with Sage Bradshaw on Life with Livestock and 4-H Projects PART 2
70 | How Livestock, Chores, and Good Mentors Create Resilient, Confident Kids Who Are Prepared for the Challenges Life Brings
75 | How Livestock Shaped My Life and Why I’m Here to Help You
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts + grab your free Kidding Due Date Chart: https://www.goatwise.com/kidding-chart
Join the insider email list: https://www.goatwise.com/join
Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com
Instagram: @drycreekpastures
More from the ranch: https://www.drycreekpastures.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Oct 6, 2025
Oct 6, 2025
13 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about winter grazing and the different ways you can feed your livestock in a sustainable, regenerative way while meeting their needs and promoting nutrient cycling and land improvement. We’ll define terms like swath grazing, bale grazing, cover crop and residue grazing and discuss how each of them could benefit your management system. Let’s get to it!
Related Episodes:
28 | Winter Feed for Livestock: Calculate How Much Hay You Need and a Strategy Save Money
35 | Winter Hay Feeding Evaluation: Meeting Nutritional Requirements of Goats and Reducing Hay Waste
42 | Surviving Extreme Cold with Livestock When Your Animals Aren’t Adapted to Freezing Temperatures
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts + grab your free Kidding Due Date Chart: https://www.goatwise.com/kidding-chart
Join the insider email list: https://www.goatwise.com/join
Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com
Instagram: @drycreekpastures
More from the ranch: https://www.drycreekpastures.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Sep 29, 2025
Sep 29, 2025
13 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about preparing for winter on the ranch and homestead, and what we do to make sure the animals and people are taken care of through the cold winter months. We’ll talk about livestock feed and water, general fall clean up that makes winter work easier, and a quick overview of what we prepare for our family that supports us through the winter as well as the rest of the year. Let’s get to it!
Related Episodes:
28 | Winter Feed for Livestock: Calculate How Much Hay You Need and a Strategy Save Money
31 | Are Winter Heat Lamps Bad for Chickens? How to Prepare Your Flock for a Comfortable Winter
36 | What We Miss the Most While Building Our Off-Grid Life
49 | 3 Strategies to Make the Best Use of Bulk Meat Storage and Avoid Freezer Overwhelm
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts + grab your free Kidding Due Date Chart: https://www.goatwise.com/kidding-chart
Join the insider email list: https://www.goatwise.com/join
Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com
Instagram: @drycreekpastures
More from the ranch: https://www.drycreekpastures.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
Sep 22, 2025
Sep 22, 2025
11 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about selecting replacement bucks, the criteria we use to qualify bucks as breeding stock, and we’ll walk through the sorting process and how we handled it this year. I’ll also be sharing some interesting things we observed while sorting and how it’s going to affect future decisions and data collection. Let’s get to it!
Mentions:
46 | Early Banding vs Late Banding in Buck Kids: Will Your Goats Be Healthy if You Band Them Early?
Related Episodes:
24 | What Is That Smell? The Bucks are In Rut! Should You Buy a Buck to Breed Your Does or Is Leasing a Better Option?
38 | Buck Management That Will Keep You, Your Goats, and Your Neighbors Happy
62 | The Buck Effect: What Is It, What Causes It, and How It Affects Goat Herd Management
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts + grab your free Kidding Due Date Chart: https://www.goatwise.com/kidding-chart
Join the insider email list: https://www.goatwise.com/join
Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com
Instagram: @drycreekpastures
More from the ranch: https://www.drycreekpastures.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.