Wethers save on crop chemical costs

Another factor has been the significant reduction in chemical costs formerly associated with growing winter crops, due to the grazing of stubble paddocks by the wethers which he now uses to clean up residual self-sown crops along with weeds such as ryegrass and fleabane.

Mr Reid is the fifth generation of his family on Euronga, and with his wife Claire, he is proud their children Lily, Max and Bella are the sixth generation of the family on the farm.

"Our family have always run Merino sheep, wool has been very good to us," he said.

"Up until two years ago I had Merino ewes with lambs, but I found that the workload clashed with my farming operation and my contracting business, especially during harvest."

Mr Reid said his decision to change to wethers was motivated by the reduced workload compared to running ewes.

"Sheep have always been a crucial part of my enterprise, but now that I have wethers they are drenched and treated for flystrike before harvest and that gives me three months protection," he said.

"And I am very keen on the wool market - we have a good relationship with our shearing contractor, Lochie Robertson, Riverina Livestock Scan and Shear, and we have always maintained our fences, shearing shed and yards."

The Merino wethers comprise 40 per cent of Mr Reid's total farming enterprise and he currently has more than 2000 Roseville Park-blood Merino wethers, purchased from the Maslin family, at Caragabal.

His father Phil, has been buying the classed seconds maiden ewes from the Maslin family for some years, and when the regular buyer of the wether weaners decided to quit his sheep enterprise, Mr Reid saw the opportunity to step in.

"I now have two drops of wethers and I will maintain my numbers around 2000, so it will mean selling the older wethers each year and buy in the replacement younger drop," he said.

"But it will depend on the market for sheep at the time, I am flexible and will trade.

"We are also set up with a drought lot to carry the sheep through the dry times."

Mr Reid said the saving on cropping input costs has been significant and is highlighted during the first two weeks of December.

"I have saved over $50,000 in chemical costs not having to spray for weeds, when I can put the sheep onto the stubble," he said.

"And with these summer storms, because I have the wethers, they have already saved me one spray before I sow next year's crops."

Winter cereals including grazing wheat and canola, with oats are the main crops grown, in a rotation where lucerne-based pastures infused with arrowleaf and subterranean clover are also grown to break the cropping cycle and build soil nitrogen.

"If we have a problem with ryegrass resistance, we can use the sheep to keep some control without the need to spray," Mr Reid said.

"But I also like to think that running sheep in conjunction with my crops is something my ancestors would approve.

"I think it is the right thing to do for the country and because I am using less chemical sprays the soil should be healthier.

"If it was good enough for previous generations, I think it is good enough for me."

The Reids have been on the Euronga aggregation since the original 259ha (640 acre) block was purchased in 1906 by George Reid when an area of 17,288ha (42,720 acres) of Mimosa Station was subdivided for closer settlement.