QUAMBY PLAINS
20/34 Corriedale rams sold to $1500, av $900
BLACKWOOD
23/30 Corriedale rams sold, to $950, ave $693.
Victorian buyers have swooped on Tasmanian Corriedales, snapping up rams from two studs.
Roberts agent Tim Woodham said sales at two studs, Quamby Plains, Hagley, and Blackwood Performance Corriedales, Evandale, had resulted in strong prices.
“The competition for Corriedale rams on the mainland is a bit fiercer than in Tasmania, so there is a fair bit of incentive to come over and acquire some good quality sheep,” Mr Woodham said.
“They were looking for good wool types and balanced lamb plan figures – Quamby Plains are particularly known for their wool,” he said.
Blackwood returned figures of 25 of the 30 rams on offer and although the clearance wasn’t as high as expected, average prices were up, he said.
Most of the rams went to the Hamilton and Ballarat areas, where graziers were looking to use them in straight Corriedale operations or put them over composites.
“They are using them to tighten the skins up a bit,” Mr Woodham said.
“It’s a very good product, at half the price of what they are paying in Victoria, so there is a fair bit of incentive to come over and acquire some high quality sheep.”
Quamby Plains principal Richard Archer put the good prices down to success at this year’s Australian Sheep and Wool Show, where the stud took out Supreme Exhibit, Champion and Reserve Champion Corriedale ram.
“We sold five afterwards, the sale was pretty good, although the clearance was okay without being exceptional,” he said.
“We have done well at Bendigo and they came looking for our soft, white wools.
“They are gaining some carcase and not losing much price in wool.”
He said several Victorian operations were volume buyers.
Mr Archer said the stud had used New Zealand and Coora, Vic, bloodlines in the past.
The stud was a member of the Corriedale Performance group utilizing LAMBPLAN, as well as being part of the ‘Cross Tasman Analysis’ program.
Peter Blackwood, Blackwood Performance Corriedales, said 17 of the 23 animals sold went to Victoria and he was very happy with the clearance rate.
“We marketed ourselves well in Victoria, there were 60 rams on sale – it was a good line up of rams, and the Victorians took advantage of that,” Mr Blackwood said.
