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!

All the Best!

Millie

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

Get your farm fresh meat here:

https://drycreekheritagemeats.com

Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider

Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community

Connect with me:

Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com

See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/

Hi friends! Today’s episode is a little different. I’ve been deep in thought as I’m sure many of you have been also, reflecting on all that has happened recently. I want to share some of what I’ve been thinking about, particularly as it relates to why I care so much about raising livestock, healthy food, and self-sufficiency, as well as what’s coming up for our ranch, the meat business, and this podcast. Let’s get to it!

All the Best!

Millie

Related Episodes:

01 | The Story Behind "Get Goat Wise" and How I Went from Ranch Kid to Homesteader

25 | Concerned About the Food Supply? Simple Ways to Ensure That Your Family Will Be Fed in the Event of a Food Availability Crisis

49 | 3 Strategies to Make the Best Use of Bulk Meat Storage and Avoid Freezer Overwhelm

Get your farm fresh meat here:

https://drycreekheritagemeats.com

Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider

Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community

Connect with me:

Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com

See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/

Hi friends! It’s time for a chicken episode! Today we’re talking about what to do with all those roosters you ended up with after buying straight run chicks this year – because that was all you could find, right? We’ll talk about options to deal with this year’s roosters as well as long-term strategies for your flock, including rooster management and setting goals for meat and egg production. Let’s get to it!

All the Best!

Millie

Mentions:

41 | What Type of Meat Bird Should I Raise? Cornish Cross, Hybrid and Dual-Purpose Explained

Related Episodes:

06 | What Livestock Should I Get First? My Top Pick for Your First Homestead Animals

31 | Are Winter Heat Lamps Bad for Chickens? How to Prepare Your Flock for a Comfortable Winter

Get your farm fresh meat here:

https://drycreekheritagemeats.com

Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider

Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community

Connect with me:

Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com

See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/

Hi friends! Today we’re talking about handling stress before butcher, and how it can affect meat quality. We’ll talk about the meat science behind stress and I’ll give you practical tips you can use to make sure you and your animals are prepared for hauling on butcher day. You’re already putting in the work to raise your own meat, and with a few management practices you can make sure that meat will be the highest quality possible. Let’s get to it!

All the Best!

Millie

Related Episodes:

25 | Concerned About the Food Supply? Simple Ways to Ensure That Your Family Will Be Fed in the Event of a Food Availability Crisis

49 | 3 Strategies to Make the Best Use of Bulk Meat Storage and Avoid Freezer Overwhelm

54 | Butchering Meat Goats: How Much Meat Do I Get from a Goat Compared to Other Livestock Species?

57 | The Ideal Weight and Age for Butchering Meat Goats to Get Premium Quality Meat

Get your farm fresh meat here:

https://drycreekheritagemeats.com

Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider

Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community

Connect with me:

Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com

See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/

Hi friends! Today I’m going over the numbers from our 2025 kidding season! We’ll talk about our challenges, victories, and the things we learned this year and I’ll be sharing the actual production numbers from our herd. We’ll comb through the data, pull out the important stuff, and talk about what worked great and what we’ll change for next year. Let’s get to it!

All the Best!

Millie

Mentions:

26 | Is My Goat Old Enough to Breed? How To Decide When Your Does Are Ready Have Their First Kids

16 | The Results Are In! Our 2024 Kidding Season Numbers for the Meat Goat Herd, and What You Should Be Keeping Track of in Your Herd

Get your farm fresh meat here:

https://drycreekheritagemeats.com

Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider

Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community

Connect with me:

Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com

See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/

Hi friends! Today I’ve got an update from County Fair, and then we’re talking about a management decision we’re making to sell some of the goat herd. We’ll talk about the factors influencing the decision, which goats we’re selling and why, and how it will help us improve our herd long term. Let’s get to it!

All the Best!

Millie

Related Episodes:

30 | Livestock Decision-Making: What to do When You Make a Wrong Decision and How to Use that Information to Make Progress

Get your farm fresh meat here:

https://drycreekheritagemeats.com

Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider

Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community

Connect with me:

Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com

See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/

Hi friends! It’s almost time for County Fair here, and with that comes a lot of reflecting about the kids and their growth doing livestock projects. Today we’re talking about the power of animals and livestock in the lives of our kids, and how responsibility, work ethic, and good mentors can launch kids into a new level of self-confidence doing hard things even when they don’t want to or think they can’t. Whether you are interested in 4-H, FFA or giving your kids the responsibility of raising livestock outside of a formal program, this episode gives insight into some unexpected benefits when kids grow up raising animals.

All the Best!

Millie

Related Episodes:

12 | Raising Kids and Livestock? Teach Life Lessons, Build Character, and Strengthen Your Relationships While Raising Animals

Get your farm fresh meat here:

https://drycreekheritagemeats.com

Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider

Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community

Connect with me:

Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com

See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/

Hi friends! Today we’re talking about another way to make money with goats – grazing for hire. We’ll talk about the infrastructure you need and different ways you can use the goat herd you already have to bring in some extra income while grazing your goats for other people to help clear out overgrown forage or mitigate fire risk. I’ll talk about our experience grazing for hire, what was challenging, what we loved, and what I think the future holds for this income option. Let’s get to it!

All the Best!

Millie

Related Episodes:

13 | Using Electric Fence with Goats? What You Need to Know to Keep Your Goats Contained and Alive with Electric Netting

Get your farm fresh meat here:

https://drycreekheritagemeats.com

Join our email list and be first to get updates and special offers: https://www.getgoatwise.com/insider

Join the FB Community: https://www.getgoatwise.com/community

Connect with me:

Email: millie@drycreekpastures.com

See what’s happening on the ranch: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekpastures/