Consistency was all the buzz as crowds gathered for the 2018 Pooginook ram sale.
With 239 young sires on all parent verified, DNA recorded and fully measured, a large crowd of merino breeders gathered to get their hands on rams that breed consistently and true to type.
Pooginook’s commitment to collection and integrity of data showed through with multiple buyers commenting on the fact the Australian Sheep Breeding Values matched the visual assessment and raw measurements of the rams on offer.
The offering sold to a top of $7000 with an overall average of $2463 for the 234 sold.
In the breakdown 90 Merino rams sold to a top of $7000 to average $2575.
While 144 Poll Merino rams average $2394 selling to a top of $5500.
Landmark Dubbo purchased the top price ram PGK174071 on behalf of an undisclosed client.
Weighing in at 123 kilograms he was in the top five per cent MerinoSelect for yearling weight, yearling clean fleece weight, merino production plus index.
The top price Poll Merino ram was purchased by Proctor Farming, Kooreh, Victoria for $5500.
Weighing in at 107kg PGK173600 was in the top 10pc for post weaning weight.
Proctor Farming purchased a second Poll ram out of the front row for $4500.
Not far behind Rick and Jenny Robertson of Gracemere Partnership, Bengworden, Victoria, paid $5000 for their pick of the Poll rams in PGK171524.
The son of PGK150088 was in the top 5pc of yearling clean fleece weight and merino production plus index.
Having been purchasing Pooginook rams for five years Mr Robertson was impressed by the strength of the ASBV’s in the Pooginook flock having them on both the sire and dam side of the pedigree with the investment in DNA recording and parent verification.
“Being in a sandy and coastal environment we are looking to increase yearling weight, as well as fat and muscle in our flock whilst maintaining our wool cut and quality” Mr Robertson said.
Leading the volume buyers were long term clients of 58 years the Nazzari family of Tambellup in Western Australia.
They put together a draft of 15 Merino rams for an average price of $2550 paying to a top of $3000 on two occasions.
Buying on behalf of the Nazzari family was another long term Pooginook client from Tambellup, WA, in Ken Schlueter who purchased five Merino rams for his family’s operation for an average price of $2500 as well as a further five for an average of $1900 for the Christinelli family another long term client from Tambellup, WA.
Mr Schlueter said, “we average about 55 years on Pooginook blood between the three families”.
“Over the years the Pooginook sheep have produced very good soft white free growing wool, which really suits our area”
“The brokers and buyers love it” Mr Schueter said
“It was an even draft with well nourished wools which made it very easy to select and buy the rams we needed.
“When you are on a good thing, you stick with it” he added.
Other volume buyers included Franeen Pty Ltd, Urana who put together 10 rams for an average price of $2550.
While Nick Gay of Heulen Pastoral Company, Hovells Creek, loaded nine rams for a $2556 average.
Mr Gay said “we were able to secure rams that filled the weaknesses in our flock as identified in the Sheep CRC Flock Genomics profile project.
“We also bought a number of rams after the sale which helped reduce our overall average, but still had the wools and numbers we were chasing.
“The wool type that we are seeing come through has been very exciting with the Pooginook bloodline opening up opportunities in marketing direct to processors.” he said
Also purchasing nine rams WK Langley & Company, Midgeon Park, Narrandera averaged $2250 on theirs.
Pooginook manager John Sutherland commented post sale on the result saying the flock section of the sale was very similar to last year.
“It was a solid sale and consistent from the first to last.
“It was great to see strong support from existing clients complemented with a number of new buyers operating throughout the offering.
“After three years of DNA testing the ASBV’s and phenotypes are reflecting each other and relecting better accuracy” he said.
The sale was conducted by Landmark and Elders with Peter Godbolt and Nick Gray the auctioneers.
