CLEVE Area School has earned bragging rights in the Schools’ Wether Competition with its team of Merino wethers taking out the Mutooroo Pastoral Prize for overall meat and fleece winner.
The three two-tooth wethers were valued at $554.55, and weighed 86 kilograms, 93kg and 102kg with eye muscle depths of 38.5 millimetres, 38.1mm and 41.9mm. They cut between 6kg and 6.8kg of wool.
The competition, run by Merino SA, has gone from strength to strength in its five-year history, with the 141 sheep from 30 schools across SA lined up on the mat an impressive sight.
This year’s numbers were just shy of the record 144 wethers entered in 2014.
Cleve Area School agriculture coordinator Aleks Suljagic said they had consistently ranked highly in the competition – including a 2014 win in the three most-valued fleeces category – but it was great to take out the top title.
“It is great affirmation of the work and the senior school students studying their Certificate 2 in Agriculture,” he said.
“We get fantastic support from the local community and particularly Barry, Daryl and Klay Smith, who help us select the lambs but also class our hoggets.”
The EP school’s win was even more special given two of the three wethers were bred from its Sims Farm self-replacing flock of 120 ewes.
The other wether, from the same bloodlines, was from a Watchanie breeder.
Mr Suljagic said the competition had many benefits, including teaching sheep management and animal selection skills. “It also teaches them about not just showing sheep but presenting themselves and personal development,” he said.
Convenor Stephen Kellock said the competition had become more commercially-focused. He was pleased to see wethers with lamb’s teeth among the winners, and said the event promoted the profitability of Merinos.
“It is about getting sheep into school grounds and ensuring they are making money out of them,” he said.