TOLAND MERINOS
*91 of 94 sold to $4500, av $1832
FELTRIM POLL DORSETS
*60 of 62 sold to $1150, av $823
TOLAND Merinos, Violet Town, has recorded another successful ram sale, as buyers from throughout Victoria and interstate came to snap up 91 of 94 Poll Merinos and Merinos on sale on Monday.
The average price was $1832, up $190 from last year’s $1642 average.
The highest priced ram was purchased at $4500, by Rob Martin, Fowles, Longwood East.
A regular buyer of five years, Mr Fowles said the Toland Merinos suited their environment really well.
“We have similar rainfall, so the rams are well-suited to our environment,” Mr Fowles said.
Mr Fowles runs about 10,000 sheep, some of which are cross-bred, and joins about 5,500 ewes every year.
“Our Merinos are dual purpose, we breed them for meat as well as wool,” he said.
Mr Fowles said the top-priced ram’s breeding values suited his breeding objectives well.
“His fat and eye muscle were particularly impressive, and he’ll definitely have a fuel tank,” he said.
The ram weighed 83.5kg, had an 18.2 micron, an eye muscle depth of 2.2mm, and a fat depth of 1.2mm.
Mr Fowles said he would join the rams in late October to early November, and is hoping they’ll improve fat cover and lamb survival.
Phil and Jackie Muecke, Woodebo, Penola, SA, purchased five rams at the sale, top $3400, av $2640.
Having purchased rams from Toland for 17 years, Mr Muecke said he usually purchases four or five replacement rams to take home to his self-replacing Merino flock.
“We breed in a similar climate, their Merinos handle wet weather really well,” Mr Muecke said.
“There just aren’t any Merino breeders as good in South Australia.”
Phil Toland, Toland Merinos, said he was incredibly happy with the outcome of his 29th annual sale.
“The average is up, and it was a really good clearance,” Mr Toland said.
“There were 53 registrations, a lot of those being regular buyers, but there were a few new buyers too.”
Mr Toland said his main focus is growth rates, fleece weight, and disease resistance.
He said buyers are also attracted to the water resistance of the sheep.
“Since the middle of May, we’ve received an inch of rain every week,” he said.
“The sheep haven’t been shedded, so they’re very water resistant, I think a lot of buyers like that.”
Feltrim Poll Dorsets, a new addition to the Toland Merino Stud, sold 60 of 62 rams by helmsman at their first sale, after doubling the amount of rams initially on offer.
“We weren’t sure what the client base would be, but after receiving a fair bit of enquiry, we decided at the last minute to offer all of our rams, rather than just 30,” Feltrim Poll Dorset stud co-principal Simon Riddle said.
The top-priced ram was purchased by Kilcoolin Past Co, Riggs Creek, at $1150, at an average price of $823.
Mr Riddle said he “didn’t want anyone leaving empty handed”, so was very pleased with the result of the sale.
All 39 registered buyers walked away with at least one ram, with Tenira Nominees, Streatham, purchasing the largest amount, a total of 10 Poll Dorsets.
“They’re early maturing, fast growing Poll Dorsets, and don’t hang on to lambs for too long,” he said.
The sale was conducted by Elders and Landmark.