A BEVY of interstate ram buyers took the long trip to St Arnaud, in Victoria’s eastern Wimmera, on Monday to get hold of some Charinga/Banavie genetics at the stud’s annual ram sale.
Andrew Calvert, Wool Solutions, said he had bought a consignment of rams to head to Tasmania to a range of clients from the higher rainfall northern Midlands to those in the Midlands proper where annual rainfall is only around the 500mm mark.
“A focus on wool quality and soft handling, crimpy white wool is important while the quantity of wool is also there,” Mr Calvert said.
“The sheep are very adaptable and have managed well in Tasmania with no soundness or feet issues even though they are big animals.”
Nigel Brumpton, Mt Ascot Merino Stud, Mitchell, in western Queensland, said with a summer rainfall, wool quality is a critical factor for him.
“Deep crimpiness and the ability to produce bright white wool is critical for us with the summer active rainfall pattern we get.”
“It can also get very dry so we need good doing sheep and the doability of the Charinga and Banavie rams is excellent.”
Angus Ashby, North Ashrose Merino Stud, Gulnare, South Australia, said the style of sheep on offer at Charinga / Banavie was well suited to his area.
“The climate in the Wimmera and the Mid North are fairly similar, the big framed, heavy cutting sheep are well suited.”
Charinga stud principal Roger Polkinghorne said there had been a strong focus on wool quality and quantity in the breeding, looking to breed sheep with wool that retains crimp and whiteness as well as coping with adverse weather conditions while still cutting heavily.
He said the large, meaty frame of the sheep was also an attraction for many buyers.
Tim Polkinghorne, co-owner of Banavie, agreed. “People were really chasing production, it was great to see the support from both the stud and the commercial guys.”