NINUENOOK Merinos, Wycheproof.
10/40, top of $1000, av. $560.
THE principals of Tarcutta, NSW stud, Umbango South have again travelled south to pick up rams from Victorian stud Ninuenook, Wycheproof.
Joint principal Penelope Jaffray said the stud had been buying rams at Ninuenook since 2009.
“We like the fact they are plain bodied, they don’t need mulesing and have the SRS type genetics, so we pick rams which will do well on our property,” Ms Jaffray said.
“The conditions are similar to here, and the rams produce nice white wool, fine wool with a distinctive crimp, so we are very happy with it and happy with their fertility.”
She said Umbango South ran a self-replacing 1500 head Merino and cross breed flock.
Good rains in August had set the stud up for an excellent season.
“We got 93mm, compared with 19mm last year, we were feeding most of the year and hoping for a good Spring,” Ms Jaffray said.
The ram the stud bought had 17.38 micron wool, a standard deviation (SD) of 2.79, coefficient of variation (CV) of 16.1 and comfort factor of 99.9 per cent.
“It’s a really good doing ram, characteristics we are looking for,” Ms Jaffray said.
"This is our third auction we have attended, we've done the other two, by phone, but this is much better."
Elders Wycheproof auctioneer Jim Coffey said it was a steady sale, but fewer buyers reflected the number of ewes, which had gone out of the industry.
“In the last six months, a lot of good young breed ewes have been sold into the mutton pens, which has taken its toll on the ram sales,” Mr Coffey said.
“The wool job is still very good, but the number of ewes are just not in the country, so as to handle those rams.”