ASWS Merino ram sale
One Merino ewe sold for $4000
76 Merino and Poll Merino rams sold to $15,000, av $3375
COMPETITION was solid at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show (ASWS) Merino sale on Monday, although bidding did not reach the lofty heights of last year’s sale.
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NSW stud Langdene, Dundedoo, topped Monday’s sale at $15,000 for the ram that was sashed grand champion fine wool ram of the show on Saturday and earlier won champion fine wool ram of Merino Great Southern at Canberra.
Principal Garry Cox said it was the first time the stud had topped the ASWS sale, and it reflected the interest in the ram that embodied their breeding goals of a great quality and quantity of wool on a large and correct frame.
“People were impressed by the scale of him at 141 kilograms, and the quality of the wool – it’s really silky, soft wool that has really good nourishment,” Mr Cox said.
The July 2014-drop ram was ET bred, sired by Langdene 11-0075 and out of leading ET donor ewe Langdene 07-0028. Its wool measured 18.2 micron, 3.7 standard deviation (SD), 16.5 per cent coefficient of variation (CV), comfort factor (CF) 99.8pc, curvature score of 63 and spinning fineness 17.1.
It was purchased by Womboin Station in Girilambone, NSW, which Mr Cox said had been using Langdene genetics for five years in its commercial breeding program, under the guidance of property manager Andrew McGrath, but had secured the top-priced ram for its own ram breeding program.
Three of the top ram’s full brothers will be offered for sale at Dubbo late next month.
Only two other rams reached five digit prices, with both Borambil and Merryville studs both selling Poll Merino rams for $10,000 each.
Borambil principal Rodger Mathews said he was thrilled with first ever sale of a Borambil Poll Merino ram. He and classer Bill Mildren selected 235 ewes from Moorundie Poll Merino stud, Keith, South Australia, three years ago and this ram was of the first drop and by Poll Boonoke 54.
Mr Mathews said it had proved a “very, very successful cross” that produced sheep of the shape, make and wool quality and quantity for which they were looking.
Mr Mildren also classes for the successful buyer Craig Trickey, manager of Coryule Merino stud and Pastoral Company, Willowvale.
Mr Trickey said the impressive ram would be taken to an AI centre before being taken to Coryule, where he will be joined to Poll Merino stud ewes in April next year for spring lambing.
The other ram to make $10,000 was a Merryville ram sold to a syndicate of Tasmanian Merino breeders.
Andrew Sloan, Landmark stud stock Melbourne said it was a “solid” sale with a good clearance rate.
“But I don’t think the prices reflected the buoyancy in the (wool and livestock) markets,” Mr Sloan said.
He said Tasmanian studs continued to be vital supporters of the sale. Tasmanian accounts secured at least six rams paying to $10,000.
In the breakdown, 54 Merino rams sold for an average of $3569 and 22 Poll Merino rams averaged $2898.
