Assessment of a decision-making model in meat sheep cooperatives in SW Spain

•A decision-making model to manage sheep farms in dehesa areas was assessed.•The model was applied to different farms typologies in different weather scenarios.•Models may contribute to the design of sustainable management strategies in extensive sheep-for-meat farms.•Farmers seem to prefer to adapt their stocking rates to the average years.•The use of the model could be useful for decision-making in sheep-for-meat cooperatives.