GUIDELINES FOR SETTING UP A SMALL STOCK ENTERPRISE

Basic Requirements
Water: Should have a reliable water source such as a borehole or a dam. A mature sheep/goat requires
3-5 liters of water per day.
Land: For ranching purposes each mature animal and its followers require 2 hectares of land for
grazing/browsing in eastern Botswana and 3 hectares for the western part.
Handling facilities i.e. Kraals, crush, dip tank and storeroom will require about 1/2 hectare.
Choice of breeds or breed type: This will be influenced by the geographic location of your project as
some breeds such as the Boer goat and Dorper are known to perform poorly in the eastern parts of
Botswana mainly due to heartwater disease. Consider starting with indigenous stock and upgrade them
with exotic breeds.

Market: Survey the market before embarking on a project to know where you will be selling your
products as well as the levels of competition.
Capital: is needed to finance the kick-starting/setting up of a project. Different financial institutions such
as Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), National Development Bank (NDB) and
commercial banks may be approached for loans.
Labour: is critical for the success of the project. The manager of the enterprise should preferably have
basic training on small stock management. Two (2) herdsmen would be handy while casual labourers
would be needed during the lambing/kidding period.
Transport: is required for ferrying various items and stock in the establishment of the project and
marketing. Consider hiring if own transport cannot be afforded.
FIXED ASSETS
Parent Stock
200 does/ewes and bucks/rams at a ratio of 1:30 females.
Equipment for management
Item

Quantity

Feeding troughs
Water troughs
Burdizzo (small stock)
Elastrator
Syringe (metal)
Ear tag applicator
Hoof cutter (small stock)
Automatic dosing gun
Dip tank and handling facilities

4
4
2
2
2
2
2
2

VARIABLES
Item

Quantity

Rubber rings 100s

Ear tags 25s
Needles 12s
Enterotoxaemia vaccine 100 doses
Pasteurella vaccine 50 doses
Terramycin injectable 100ml
Terramycin eye powder 30g
Sulfazine 331/3% 500ml
Sulfazine 16%
Oberdine spray 500ml
Dewormer 1L
Dip 1L
Tick grease 500g
Coarse salt 50kg
Dicalcium Phosphate 18% 50kg
Rumevite block 25kg
Ram, lamb & ewe pellets 50kg
Molasses meal 40kg
Marking pen (for ear tags)
Heartwater blood vaccine (if necessary)
Liquid nitrogen (if necessary)

6
20
4
6
12
8
6
10
15
10
10
16
10
60
60
60
80
60
4
206 doses

PRODUCTION PARAMETERS
It is expected that under good management the following shall be
realized:
A kidding percentage of 130 +
A lambing percentage of 90
A mortality rate of 10 15%
A culling percentage of 10
1st 20 months
During this period does/ewes shall be bred and 5 months later the first kids/lambs are to be dropped.
Those that do not conceive during the first mating will be given a second chance. The offspring are to be
raised for 12 months and sold thereafter.
260 kids born; about 1/2 are expected to be females
10% mortality = 26 Remainder = 234
10% mortality for the adult stock = 20 Remainder = 180
20 does culled for various defects
40 female weaners to replace 20 dead does and 20 culled does = 194
Weaners + 20 culls available for sale =214

PROJECTED SALES
A total of 117 males, 77 females and 20 culls shall be available for sale from the 20th month:
30 of the males shall be selected and sold as bucks;

 38 of the females shall be sold as breeding stock;

87 males, 39 females and 20 culls shall be sold as slaughter stock.
DEPRECIATION
Equipment, kraals and buildings shall depreciate at the rate of 10% of their initial value per year.