MERINO wether woolcutters graze on the high rocky ridge plateau towards the rear of Roley and Gwen Lyons' 1417 hectare property, Womera, a little west of Euchareena.
Like most wethers, they thrive on the less arable parts of properties most farmers possess and pack on the wool.
The Lyons like to run wethers along with their 2000 ewe 16.4-plus micron flock.
"I'll grow them out and hold them until they're three and-a-half to four years old," Mr Lyons said. "That way we get three or four shearings before selling in the mutton market at Dubbo at the appropriate time."
He said he liked to run his wethers on the rougher country where they did well with the help of 625 millimetres in normal or average years. However that has been quite different in the past three years.
"But they can still shear up to six-plus kilograms of wool."
However, last year the dry conditions had forced the Lyons to sell their drop of wethers just prior to weaning.
"But they made pretty good money off their mothers," he said.
This year all the young wethers cut an excellent amount of wool and had a pretty reasonable frame for the year, considering the dry.
At the end of their recent annual shearing Mr Lyons said the flock filled 101 bales.
"I'll have the wool tested and then decide when to sell," he said.
The Lyons have been using GullenGamble rams for the past five to six years after using New England blood for many years.
"Our fleeces were too fine, I thought, and not cutting enough wool," Mr Lyons said.
"GullenGamble rams were a bit broader in the wool this year than normal years, but that could be put down to these few dry years.
"But the fact the rams we bought have a good frame which makes for more meat, is also a plus."
Womera ewes wool last year averaged 16.4 micron, which Mr Lyons said he thought was too fine.
"So the rams we bought this year have broader micron which will increase the bulk of wool on their progeny."
They start joining the first week of November for an April/May lambing.
"The last two years wound up with 98 per cent lambing in both years," Mr Lyons said.
The last two years wound up with 98 per cent lambing in both years."
- Roley Lyons
"Since moving to GullenGamble lambing has increased by three to four per cent."
Mr Lyons said due to the dry conditions, he had to sell off the previous year's wether drop which were near ready for weaning.
"We sold them off their mothers but received good money for them," he said.
Womera was part of Roley's great-grandfather's spread, George Lyons, who passed it on and eventually to Role's father, Frank.
"I bought an additional two blocks later to make it a bit more profitable," Mr Lyons said.
The Lyons have bred Angus for some years, however, Mr Lyons said they had to cut back on numbers.
"We just sold 70 cows three weeks ago and a good thing we did. During the past three years I had more cattle than I normally would, but had to move them on to make way for the stock we now run."
He said he hadn't bred any crossbred sheep for three to four years.
"I rarely produce crossbred lambs as I prefer to stick with Merinos."
The Womera country sets just 300 metres away from the Bell River and responds well and quickly to precipitation.
"We just need it to rain."
