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
May 5, 2025
May 5, 2025
13 min
Hi friends! Last week we talked about building fence for goats, and today we’re talking about how to manage your goat herd so that they respect your fence. Goats are notorious for challenging fences, usually by jumping over or shimmying underneath, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m going to share what we’ve learned about dealing with problem goats, and what you can do to prevent problems in the first place. If your goats respect your fencing, you’ll have a much better goat-raising experience. Let’s get to it!
Episode Mentions:
43 | How to Treat Entropian or Inverted Eyelids in Baby Goats
55 | Fencing for Goats: Two Things You Must Have to Keep Your Goats Contained and Safe
Related Episodes:
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.
Apr 28, 2025
Apr 28, 2025
15 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about building fence for goats. Fence is one of the biggest investments in owning goats, and I’ve heard it many times that if your fence won’t hold water, it won’t hold goats! That sure seems true sometimes, but today I’m going to share some strategies we’ve used to successfully fence our goats, keep them contained, and keep them safe from predators. Let’s get to it!
Episode Mentions:
07 | Should My Goats Have Horns or Not? Pros and Cons of Disbudding Goats
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.
Apr 21, 2025
Apr 21, 2025
13 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about how much meat you can expect when you butcher livestock. We’ll go over averages for the common species, and I’ll also share how our last goats performed as far as meat yield, comparing Boer and Spanish breeds. If you’re raising your own meat or hoping to in the future, this episode is packed with valuable information. Let’s get to it!
Related Episodes:
47 | How to Adjust to the Flavor of Homegrown Meat and Eggs Before You Raise Your Own
45 | Health Benefits of Ruminant Red Meat, Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed, and Special Characteristics of Goat Meat
44 | Small vs. Large Ruminants on the Homestead: Why Raising Goats First Will Help You Raise Cattle Later
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.
Apr 14, 2025
Apr 14, 2025
19 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about big picture management and goals for your farm, ranch or homestead. It doesn’t matter if you have a few acres or a few hundred, it’s important to have a plan. I’m going to walk you through our plan for livestock and land, talk about why we’ve made some of the decisions we’ve made and our plans for the future. This is and will always be a work in progress, so I expect I’ll be doing updates every so often as we learn more and apply that knowledge to our plan. Let’s get to it!
Episode Mentions:
48 | Goat Hoof Trimming/ Simple Tools, Technique, and How to Decrease the Frequency
08 | When Animals Aren’t Working Out on the Homestead: How to Evaluate Your Livestock Projects and Decide to Keep or Sell
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
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.
Apr 7, 2025
Apr 7, 2025
15 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about preparing for kidding goats, specifically, what I have in my kidding bucket and what I like to have on hand in case of an emergency. This episode will give you a great place to start getting your supplies together for kidding, as well as some ideas to put on your list to have around when things don’t go as planned. Let’s get to it!
Mentions:
Kidding Supplies: (*Affiliate Link)
In the kidding bucket for daily use:
3.5 Gallon Bucket*
Toolbox for kidding box* – we have this and still use it for a vet box, it’s great
Lamb and Kid Sling
Digital Scale
Tags we use
Allflex Tag Marking Pen*
Allflex Universal Tagger*
Allflex Tag Removal Tool*
Tag Storage Pencil Box*
Nolvasan* dilute according to instructions
Iodine Spray*
Iodine Navel Dip Cup
Steno Notebook*
In the kidding bucket for occasional use:
ARS 140DXR Smooth Blade Hoof Trimmers* My favorite hoof trimmers
Budget Hoof Trimmers*
Pruning Shears*
Nitrile Gloves*
OB Sleeves*
SuperLube or OB All Purpose Lubricant*
OB Snare or make your own with parachute cord
Bulb Syringe*
Surgical shears*
On the shelf available when needed:
Feeding Tube – I like the red ones
60cc Catheter Tip Syringe*
Wound Clips and Forceps
Probios*
Pritchard Teat Nipples -these attach to a regular soda pop bottle, get the original Pritchard not a copy
Kid blankets – use with care
Things to think about adding to your kidding supplies:
Umbilical tape* and Buhner OB needles*
Ketone test strips*
Dextrose
CMPK*
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.
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Mar 31, 2025
Mar 31, 2025
9 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about meat, ground beef specifically, and what it really costs to buy a burger at the drive through. We’ll talk about things you need to look for when purchasing ground beef and the options you have to feed your family one of the most nutritious foods on the planet – red meat, in the form of ground beef. Let’s get to it!
Episode Mention:
04 | Avoiding Homestead Comparison: The “Good, Better, Best” of Homesteading and Your Definition of Best
Related Episodes:
49 | 3 Strategies to Make the Best Use of Bulk Meat Storage and Avoid Freezer Overwhelm
47 | How to Adjust to the Flavor of Homegrown Meat and Eggs Before You Raise Your Own
45 | Health Benefits of Ruminant Red Meat, Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed, and Special Characteristics of Goat Meat
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.
Mar 24, 2025
Mar 24, 2025
13 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about getting your tags ordered for kidding season. We’ll talk about tagging laws, and we’ll walk through the step-by-step process I use to decide what tags to order and how many we need. We have lots of goats to tag, but I’m also going to give you a simple, affordable, and legal way to tag if you only have a few goats. Let get to it!
Mentions:
Premier 1 Supplies tags we use
Related Episode:
11 | Should I tag my goats? What You Need to Know About Government Requirements and How to Use Tagging to Benefit Your 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.
Mar 17, 2025
Mar 17, 2025
11 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about freezer meat storage and how to make the best use of bulk meat you either raise or purchase. I’m going to share three different strategies we’ve used to make sure we utilize everything in our freezer, eliminate waste, and take the stress out of dinner time. No more staring in the fridge at 5:00 p.m. wondering what to cook, and no more freezer overwhelm! Let’s dive in!
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.
Mar 10, 2025
Mar 10, 2025
11 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about trimming hooves on goats. This is really a simple task most of the time, but it’s one of the hardest to start because of the fear of doing it wrong or hurting your goats. Today I’m going to talk you through hoof trimming, factors that affect hoof growth, the tools you need, how to do it, and a couple pro tips that will make trimming easier and may even reduce the frequency of hoof trimming required for your goats. Let’s dive in!
Mentions:
Zip Bandit
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.
Mar 3, 2025
Mar 3, 2025
12 min
Hi friends! Today we’re talking about homegrown food, meat and eggs specifically, and why they taste different than what you buy at the grocery store. Some people have a hard time liking homegrown food, so we’ll talk about some tips and strategies to help you adjust to the taste of home grown. If you’re getting ready to raise your own eggs and meat, this episode will help you avoid the ultimate homestead disappointment, not liking the food you raise. Let’s dive in!
Episode Mentions:
45 | Health Benefits of Ruminant Red Meat, Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed, and Special Characteristics of Goat Meat
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.