Belbourie Merinos
*Total clearance of 60 rams to $4000, av $1832
THE sun was shining for the Belbourie Merino and Poll Merino’s 47th Annual on-property sale last Wednesday with a total clearance of 60 rams to a top price of $4000 at an average of $1832.
It was an impressive sale given the stud offered an additional 15 rams and still boosted its average by more than $470 on its 2016 result.
The top priced ram was found in Lot 7, Belbourie 16005, a son of the AI sire Charinga Sweety with fleece measurements of 21 micron, 3.1 standard deviation, 14.8 co-efficient of variation and a weight of 97 kilograms. This ram was purchased by Roly Coutts, Elders Horsham, on behalf of his clients, Heard Family, Wonwonda, South of Horsham.
The Heard family inspected this young sire during the Marnoo Merino Field Days and decided it was the ram they needed.
“He is just a good sheep,” Mr Coutts said. “He has good wool, a good frame and structure, great poll and the good wool cutting type of ram.”
There was great volume buying support on the day with repeat clients the Reading Family of Brynavon, Callawadda, purchasing a total of nine rams to average $2222.
“We purchase these rams for their good wool cut and structure. They are evenly built, we don’t focus to much on figures, just after the good looking and productive sheep,” Hayley Reading said.
While the Robertson Family, Kanagulk (near Balmoral) purchased eight rams to average $1768. Due to the current market Terry & Matt Robertson are this year joining more ewes back to merino rams. With the wool prices where they are, they are expanding their wool clip. Therefore also turning some of their crop lamb back to farm land to be able to run more sheep. “The quality of rams was exception, good wool cutters and very true to type. That is why we come back year after year.”
Principal Paul Hendy was ecstatic after the completion of the sale saying he was “Bloody Happy!”.
