Wether Farming

A wether is a male sheep castrated before sexual maturity.
Where area and space are available, wether farming can be successful.
Wethers can be run on very low maintenance and therefore utilise grazing which cannot be farmed with ewes.
Wethers respond well to good grazing and a good income from wool and meat production can be achieved.
When droughts occur, wethers can immediately be shorn and sold thereby reducing the burden on the grazing.
Keep only high producers’ ewes, those with good size and good quantity wool of outstanding quality.

11.24 Wether lambs.

Practical Example: Laingsburg and Trompsburg

Practical example of a wether farm – Scenario 1, year 1.

WETHER FARMING: SCENARIO 1 YEAR 1
GENERAL INFORMATION
Number of Wethers	700	Wethers

Nutrition Requirements (NR)	2.5%	of Body Weight
Average Live Weight	45	kg
NR/Day/1 Wether	1.125	kg/Day
NR/Day Wethers Total	788	kg for the	700	Wethers
NR/Year for Wethers Total	287 438	kg for the	365	Days

Water Requirements (WR)
WR/Day/1 Wether	5	l/Day
WR/Day Wethers Total	3 500	l/Day for the	700	Wethers
WR/Year for Wether Total	1 277 500	l/Day for the	365	Days
SCENARIO 1: YEAR 1
Wethers bought, culling and shearing x 2, keep stock
Date of Purchase	15-Feb
Number of Animals	700	Wethers
Weight	28.5	kg
Price/kg	R35	/kg
Purchase Price/1 Animal	R997.5
Total Purchase Amount	R698 250	for the	700	Wethers
Interest	12%	/year
Interest Total/Year	R83 790
TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE or COST	R782 040

WOOL INCOME or REVENUE
a) 1^st Shearing Wether Lambs: April	6	Months Wool
Number of Lambs	700	Wethers
kg Wool Shorn/Lamb	2.2	kg/Lamb
Wool Price/kg	R85	/kg
Wool Income/1 Lamb	R187	/Lamb
Wool Income Total (a)	R130 900	Lambs Total
b) 2^nd Shearing: 15 Feb	12	Months Wool
% Lambs Culled	25%	of the	100%
% Lambs Shorn	75%
Number Lambs	525	Lambs
kg Wool Shorn/Lamb	4.4	kg/Lamb
Wool Price/kg	R130	/kg
Wool Income/1 Lamb	R572	/Lamb
Wool Income Total (b)	R300 300	Lambs Total
WOOL INCOME TOTAL (a) + (b)	R431 200

MUTTON or MEAT INCOME or REVENUE
a) 1^st Culling %	25%	of the	700	Wethers
Number Lambs Culled	175	Lambs Harvested	525	Wethers Remaining
Weight/1 Lamb	32	kg
Meat Price/kg	R34	/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 088	/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (a)	R190 400	Total

b) 2^nd Culling %	20%	of the	525	Wethers Remaining
Number Lambs Culled	105	Lambs Culled	420	Wethers Remaining
Weight/1 Lamb	51	kg/Lamb Alive
Dressing %	44%
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	22.44	kg
Meat Price/kg (AB Grade)	R60	/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 346.4	/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (b)	R141 372	Total

TOTAL NUMBER ANIMALS SOLD	280	Harvested

MEAT INCOME TOTAL (a) + (b)	R331 772

TOTAL INCOME (WOOL + MEAT)	R762 972

STOCK ON HAND (WETHERS)
Number Wethers	420	Wethers Remaining
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	22.44	kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 346.4	/1 Lamb
Meat Price/kg (Ab Grade)	R60	/kg
Total kg Meat	9 424.8	kg
STOCK ON HAND ASSET VALUE	R565 488

TOTAL INCOME + ASSET VALUE	R1 328 460

Practical example of a wether farm – Scenario 2, year 1.

WETHER FARMING: SCENARIO 2 YEAR 1
GENERAL INFORMATION
Number of Wethers	700	Wethers

Nutrition Requirements (NR)	2.5%	of Body Weight
Average Live Weight	45	kg
NR/Day/1 Wether	1.125	kg/Day
NR/Day Wethers Total	788	kg for the	700	Wethers
NR/Year for Wethers Total	287 438	kg for the	365	Days

Water Requirements (WR)
WR/Day/1 Wether	5	l/Day
WR/Day Wethers Total	3 500	l/Day for the	700	Wethers
WR/Year for Wether Total	1 277 500	l/Day for the	365	Days
SCENARIO 1: YEAR 1
Wethers Bought, Culling and Shearing x 2, Sell All the Stock After Year 1
Date of Purchase	15-Feb
Number of Animals	700	Wethers
Weight	28.5	kg
Price/kg	R35	/kg
Purchase Price/1 Animal	R997.5
Total Purchase Amount	R698 250		700	Wethers
Interest	12%	/year
Interest Total/Year	R83 790
TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE or COST	R782 040

WOOL INCOME
a) 1^st Shearing Wether Lambs: April	6	Months Wool
Number of Lambs	700	Wethers
kg Wool Shorn/Lamb	2.2	kg/Lamb
Wool Price/kg	R85	/kg
Wool Income/1 Lamb	R187	/Lamb
Wool Income Total (a)	R130 900	Lambs Total
b) 2^nd Shearing: 15 Feb	12	Months Wool
% Lambs Culled	25%	of the	100%
% Lambs Shorn	75%
Number Lambs	525	Lambs
kg Wool Shorn/Lamb	4.4	kg/Lamb
Wool Price/kg	R130	/kg
Wool Income/1 Lamb	R572	/Lamb
Wool Income Total (b)	R300 300	Lambs Total
WOOL INCOME TOTAL (a) + (b)	R431 200

MUTTON or MEAT INCOME or REVENUE
a) 1^st Culling %	25%	of the	700	Wethers
Number Lambs Culled	175	Lambs Harvested	525	Wethers Remaining
Weight/1 Lamb	32	kg
Meat Price/kg	R34	/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 088	/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (a)	R190 400	Total

b) 2^nd Culling %	20%	of the	525	Wethers Remaining
Number Lambs Culled	105	Lambs Culled	420	Wethers Remaining
Weight/1 Lamb	51	kg/Lamb Alive
Dressing %	44%
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	22.44	kg
Meat Price/kg (AB Grade)	R60	/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 346.4	/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (b)	R141 372	Total

c) Sell All Stock
B Grade Lambs Remaining	420		0	Wethers Remaining
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	R24	/kg
Meat Price/kg (B Grade)	R55	B Grade Price
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 320	/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (c)	R554 400

TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS SOLD	700	Harvested

MEAT INCOME TOTAL (a) + (b) + (c)	R886 172

TOTAL INCOME (WOOL + MEAT)	R1 317 372

STOCK ON HAND (WETHERS)
Number Wethers	0	Wethers Remaining
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	22.44	kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 346.4	/1 Lamb
Meat Price/kg (Ab Grade)	R60	/kg
Total kg Meat	0	kg
STOCK ON HAND ASSET VALUE	R0

TOTAL INCOME + ASSET VALUE	R1 317 372

EXPENDITURES (Production Costs)
Dosing and Inoculations	R36 750
Cost/Animal	R30
1^st Time Number Animals	700	Wethers
1^st Time TOTAL	R21 000
2^nd Time Number Animals	525	Wethers Remaining
2^nd Time Total	R15 750

Licks: Sulphur, Salt, and Production Lick	R90 956.25
1^st Period
Cost/Animal/1 Day	R0.45	/Animal
Number of Days	60	Days
Number of Animals	700	Wethers
1^st Period Cost	R18 900
2^nd Period
Cost/Animal/1 Day	R0.45
Number of Days	305
Number of Animals	525	Wethers Remaining
2^nd Period Cost	R72 056.25

Staff	R48 000
Number of People	1
Salary/1 Person	R4 000	/Month
Number of Months	12
Fuel	R14 000
Cost/1 Sheep	R40
Average Number of Sheep	350	Animals

Shearing Costs	R25 725
1^st Shearing Number Animals	700	Wethers
2^nd Shearing Number Animals	525	Wethers
Total Number of Animals Shorn	1 225	Wethers
Cost/1 Animal Shorn	R21	/Animal

TOTAL PRODUCTION COSTS	R215 431.25

PROFIT or LOSS	R319 900.75
INCOME (WOOL AND MEAT)	R1 317 372
EXPENDITURES	R997 471.25
Production Costs	R215 431.25
Purchasing Price	R698 250
Interest	R83 790

STOCK ON HAND ASSET VALUE	R0

PROFIT or ASSET VALUE	R319 900.75
NUMBER OF ANIMALS BOUGHT	700	Wethers
PROFIT or ASSER VALUE/Animal Bought	R457	/Animal

Practical example of a wether farm – Scenario 1, year 2.

WETHER FARMING: SCENARIO 1 YEAR 2
GENERAL INFORMATION
Number of Wethers		420		Wethers (2-tooth old stock)
Number of Wethers Bought In		220		Newly Bought
TOTAL Number of Animals		640		Animals
Nutrition Requirements (NR)		2.5%		of Body Weight
Average Live Weight		45		kg
NR/Day/1 Wether		1.125		kg/Day
NR/Day Wethers Total		720		kg for the	640	Total Number Animals
NR/Year for Wethers Total		262 800		kg for the	365	Days
Water Requirements (WR)
WR/Day/1 Wether		5		l/Day
WR/Day Wethers Total		3 200		l/Day for the	640	Total Number Animals
WR/Year for Wether Total		1 168 000		l/Day for the	365	Days
SCENARIO 1: YEAR 2 (15 Feb 2021 – 15 Feb 2022)
Wethers Bought, Culling x 2 and Shearing x 3, Keep Stock
Date of Purchase	15-Feb
Number of Animals	220			Newly Bought
Weight	28.5			kg
Price/kg	R37			/kg
Purchase Price/1 Animal	R1 054.50
Total Purchase Amount	R231 990				420	Wethers (2-tooth old stock)
Interest	12%			/year
Interest Total/Year	R27 838.8
TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE or COST	R259 828.8

WOOL INCOME or REVENUE
a) 1^st Shearing Wether Lambs: April	6			Months Wool
Number of Lambs	220			Newly Bought
kg Wool Shorn/Lamb	2			kg/Lamb
Wool Price/kg	R85			/kg
Wool Income/1 Lamb	R170			/Lamb
Wool Income Total (a)	R37 400			Lambs Total
b) 2^nd Shearing: 15 Feb	12			Months Wool
% Lambs Culled	20%			of the	100%
% Lambs Shorn	80%
Number Lambs	176			Lambs
kg Wool Shorn/Lamb	4.4			kg/Lamb
Wool Price/kg	R130			/kg
Wool Income/1 Lamb	R572			/Lamb
Wool Income Total (b)	R100 672			Lambs Total

c) 3^rd Shearing
Shear Old Stock Lambs from the Beginning of the Year	420			Lambs
Kg Wool Shorn/Lamb	5.5			kg/Lamb
Wool Price/kg	R125			/kg
Wool Income/1 Lamb	R687.5			/Lamb
Wool Income Total (c)	R288 750			Lambs Total
TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS SHORN	816			Animals Shorn
WOOL INCOME TOTAL (a) + (b) + (c)	R426 822

MUTTON or MEAT INCOME or REVENUE
a) 1^st Culling %	20%			of the Newly Bought	220	Newly Bought
Number Lambs Culled	44			Lambs Harvested	176	AB Grade Lambs Remaining
Weight/1 Lamb	32			kg
Meat Price/kg	R37			/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 184			/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (a)	R52 096			Total

b) 2^nd Culling %	50%			of the Current TOTAL	596	Wethers Total Remaining
Number Lambs Culled	105			Lambs Total	298	Wethers Total Remaining

Number AB Grade Lambs Now Remaining	176			Remaining of the Newly Bought
Number of Lambs Slaughtered	50			AB Grade Harvested	126	B Grade Wethers Remaining
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	22.7			kg
Number of kg Meat	1 135
Meat Price/kg (AB Grade)	R60			/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 362			/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (b)	R68 100			Total

Number AB Grade Lambs Now Remaining	420			from the Old Stock
Number of Lambs Slaughtered	248			B Grade Harvested	172	B Grade Wethers Remaining
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	24			kg	298	Lambs Total Now Remaining
Meat Price/kg (B Grade)	R55			/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 320			/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (b)	R327 360			Total

TOTAL NUMBER ANIMALS SOLD	342			Harvested

MEAT INCOME TOTAL (a) + (b) + (c)	R447 556

TOTAL INCOME (WOOL + MEAT)	R874 378

STOCK ON HAND (WETHERS)
Number of AB Grade Lambs Remaining	126			AB Grade Lambs Remaining
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	22.4			kg
Total kg Meat	R2 822.4			/1 Lamb
Meat Price/kg (AB Grade)	R60			/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 344			/1 Lamb
Meat Income Total (a)	R169 344			AB Grade Lambs

Number of B-Grade Lambs Remaining	172			B Grade Wethers Remaining	298	New Stock of Lambs
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	24			B Grade Harvested
Total kg Meat	4 128			B Grade Harvested
Meat Price/kg (B Grade)	R55			/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 320			/1 Lamb
Meat Income Total (b)	R227 040			B Grade Lambs

STOCK ON HAND ASSET VALUE (a) + (b)	R396 384

TOTAL INCOME + ASSET VALUE	R1 270 762

EXPENDITURES (Production Costs)
Dosing and Inoculations			R49 440
Cost/Animal			R40
TOTAL Number Animals (Stock + Purchased)			640	TOTAL (Stock + Purchased)
1^st Time TOTAL			R25 600
2^nd Time Number Animals			596	Wethers Total Remaining
2^nd Time Total			R23 840

Licks: Sulphur, Salt, and Production Lick			R115 370
1^st Period
Cost/Animal/1 Day			R0.5	/Animal
Number of Days			60	Days
Number of Animals			220	Newly Bought
1^st Period Cost			R6 600
2^nd Period
Cost/Animal/1 Day			R0.5
Number of Days			365
Number of Animals			596	Wethers Total Remaining
2^nd Period Cost			R108 770

Staff			R48 000
Number of People			1
Salary/1 Person			R4 000	/Month
Number of Months			12
Fuel			R21 105
Cost/1 Sheep			R45
Average Number of Sheep			469	Wethers Total Remaining

Shearing Costs			R19 584
1^st Shearing Number Animals			220	Wethers
2^nd Shearing Number Animals			176	Wethers
3^rd Shearing Number Animals			420	Wethers
Total Number of Animals Shorn			816	Wethers
Cost/1 Animal Shorn			R24	/Animal

TOTAL PRODUCTION COSTS			R253 499

PROFIT or LOSS			R361 050.2
INCOME (WOOL AND MEAT)			R874 378
EXPENDITURES			R513 327.8
Production Costs			R253 499
Purchasing Price			R231 990
Interest			R27 838.8

STOCK ON HAND ASSET VALUE			R396 384

PROFIT or ASSET VALUE			R757 434.2
NUMBER OF ANIMALS BOUGHT			220	Wethers
PROFIT or ASSER VALUE/Animal Bought			R3 442.88	/Animal Bought

Practical example of a wether farm – Scenario 1, year 3.

WETHER FARMING: SCENARIO 1 YEAR 3
GENERAL INFORMATION
Number of Wethers Stock Previous Year	298	Wethers (2-tooth old stock)
Number of Wethers Bought In	200	Newly Bought
TOTAL Number of Animals	498	Animals
Nutrition Requirements (NR)	2.5%	of Body Weight
Average Live Weight	45	kg
NR/Day/1 Wether	1.125	kg/Day
NR/Day Wethers Total	560	kg for the	498	Total Number Animals
NR/Year for Wethers Total	204 491	kg for the	365	Days
Water Requirements (WR)
WR/Day/1 Wether	5	l/Day
WR/Day Wethers Total	2 490	l/Day for the	498	Total Number Animals
WR/Year for Wether Total	908 850	l/Day for the	365	Days
SCENARIO 1: YEAR 3 (15 Feb 2022 – 15 Feb 2023)
Wethers Bought, Culling and Shearing x 3, Sell Everything After a Year
Date of Purchase	15-Feb
Number of Animals	200	Newly Bought
Weight	28.5	kg
Price/kg	R40	/kg
Purchase Price/1 Animal	R1 140
Total Purchase Amount	R228 000		298	Wethers (2-tooth old stock)
Interest	12%	/year
Interest Total/Year	R27 360
TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE or COST	R255 360

WOOL INCOME
a) 1^st Shearing Wether Lambs: April	6	Months Wool
Number of Lambs	200	Newly Bought
kg Wool Shorn/Lamb	2	kg/Lamb
Wool Price/kg	R90	/kg
Wool Income/1 Lamb	R180	/Lamb
Wool Income Total (a)	R36 000	Lambs Total
b) 2^nd Shearing: 15 Feb	12	Months Wool
% Lambs Culled	20%	of the	100%
% Lambs Shorn	80%
Number Lambs	160	Lambs
kg Wool Shorn/Lamb	4.4	kg/Lamb
Wool Price/kg	R135	/kg
Wool Income/1 Lamb	R594	/Lamb
Wool Income Total (b)	R95 040	Lambs Total

c) 3^rd Shearing
Shear Old Stock Lambs from the Beginning of the Year	298	Lambs
Kg Wool Shorn/Lamb	5.5	kg/Lamb
Wool Price/kg	R130	/kg
Wool Income/1 Lamb	R715	/Lamb
Wool Income Total (c)	R213 070	Lambs Total
TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS SHORN	658	Animals Shorn
WOOL INCOME TOTAL (a) + (b) + (c)	R344 110

MUTTON or MEAT INCOME or REVENUE
a) 1^st Culling %	20%	of the Newly Bought	200	Newly Bought
Number Lambs Culled	40	Lambs Harvested	160	AB Grade Lambs Remaining
Weight/1 Lamb	32	kg
Meat Price/kg	R40	/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 280	/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (a)	R51 200	Total

b) 2^nd Culling %	50%	of the Current TOTAL	458	Wethers Total Remaining
Number Lambs Culled	229	Lambs Total	229	Wethers Total Remaining

Number AB Grade Lambs Now Remaining	160	AB Grade Lambs Remaining
Number of Lambs Slaughtered	50	AB Grade Harvested	110	AB Grade Wethers Remaining
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	22.7	kg
Number of kg Meat	1 135	kg
Meat Price/kg (AB Grade)	R60	/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 362	/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (b)	R68 100	Total

Number B Grade Lambs Now Remaining	298	of the Old Stock Previous Year
Number of Lambs Slaughtered	179	B Grade Harvested	119	B Grade Lambs Remaining
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	24	kg	229	Lambs Total Now Remaining
Meat Price/kg (B Grade)	R55	/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 320	/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (b)	R236 280	Total

c) Sell All Stock
AB Grade Lambs Remaining	110		0	AB Grade Lambs Remaining
B Grade Lambs Remaining	119		0	B Grade Lambs Remaining
Total Number of Lambs Remaining for Slaughter	229	Lambs	0	Lambs Total Now Remaining
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	R24	kg
Meat Price/kg (B Grade)	R55	B Grade Price
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 320	/1 Lamb
Total Meat Income (c)	R302 280

TOTAL NUMBER ANIMALS SOLD	498	Harvested

MEAT INCOME TOTAL (a) + (b) + (c) + (d)	R657 860

TOTAL INCOME (WOOL + MEAT)	R1 001 970

STOCK ON HAND (WETHERS)
Number of AB Grade Lambs Remaining	0	AB Grade Lambs Remaining
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	22.4	kg
Total kg Meat	0	/1 Lamb
Meat Price/kg (AB Grade)	R60	/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 344	/1 Lamb
Meat Income Total (a)	R0	AB Grade Lambs

Number of B-Grade Lambs Remaining	0	B Grade Wethers Remaining	298	New Stock of Lambs
Carcass Weight Slaughtered	24	B Grade Harvested
Total kg Meat	0	B Grade Harvested
Meat Price/kg (B Grade)	R55	/kg
Meat Income/1 Lamb	R1 320	/1 Lamb
Meat Income Total (b)	R0	B Grade Lambs

STOCK ON HAND ASSET VALUE (a) + (b)	R0

TOTAL INCOME + ASSET VALUE	R1 001 970

EXPENDITURES (Production Costs)
Dosing and Inoculations	R47 800
Cost/Animal	R50
TOTAL Number Animals (Stock + Purchased)	498	TOTAL (Stock + Purchased)
1^st Time TOTAL	R24 900
2^nd Time Number Animals	458	Wethers Total Remaining
2^nd Time Total	R22 900

Licks: Sulphur, Salt, and Production Lick	R107 502
1^st Period
Cost/Animal/1 Day	R0.6	/Animal
Number of Days	60	Days
Number of Animals	200	Newly Bought
1^st Period Cost	R7 200
2^nd Period
Cost/Animal/1 Day	R0.6
Number of Days	60	Days
Number of Animals	458	Wethers Total Remaining
2^nd Period Cost	R100 302

Staff	R54 000
Number of People	1
Salary/1 Person	R4 500	/Month
Number of Months	12
Fuel	R14 940
Cost/1 Sheep	R60
Average Number of Sheep	249	Wethers Total Remaining

Shearing Costs	R16 450
1^st Shearing Number Animals	200	Wethers
2^nd Shearing Number Animals	160	Wethers
3^rd Shearing Number Animals	298	Wethers
Total Number of Animals Shorn	658	Wethers
Cost/1 Animal Shorn	R25	/Animal

TOTAL PRODUCTION COSTS	R240 692

PROFIT or LOSS	R505 918
INCOME (WOOL AND MEAT)	R1 001 970
EXPENDITURES	R496 052
Production Costs	R240 692
Purchasing Price	R228 000
Interest	R27 360

STOCK ON HAND ASSET VALUE	R0

PROFIT or ASSET VALUE	R505 918
NUMBER OF ANIMALS BOUGHT	200	Wethers
PROFIT or ASSER VALUE/Animal Bought	R2 529.59	/Animal Bought