*47 of 60 Merino rams sold to $15,500, av $4024
*5 of 5 Corriedale rams sold to $3500, av $2870
Horned Merino rams dominated the top prices at the Hamilton Sheepvention online ram sale.
Due to the coronavirus restrictions this year's sale was conducted via AuctionsPlus with agent Elders and Nutrien Ag Solutions.
Top priced ram was $15,500 sold account the Langdene Merino stud, Dunnedoo, NSW, and was purchased by a Nutrien Ag Bannockburn account.
Top price of the sale was a May 2018-drop ET bred ram that was champion fine/medium wool March shorn ram at Dubbo National in 2019. His figures included 17.1 micron, 2.4 standard deviation (SD), 14.1 co-efficient of variation (CV) and 99.9 comfort factor (CF).
Another of the Langdene team, lot 41, sold for $6500. The ram was a July-2018-drop, that was bought account PJ Colley, Hargraves, NSW.
The Glendonald stud, Nhill, sold two rams at the second top price of $9250. The first was a 14-month-old ram, March shorn, 19.8 micron, 3.3 SD, 16.7 CV and 100 CF. Purchaser was an Elders Hamilton account.
The second Glendonald ram to make $9250 was lot 28 sired by Orrie Cowie Achilles 2, with measurements of 17.6 micron, 3.2 SD, 18.2 CV and 99.6 CF. Buyer was an Elders Deniliquin, NSW, account.
Lot 40, another Glendonald ram, sold for $5,250 to Nutrien Ag, Bendigo, account. The 15 month-old ram by Orrie Cowie 51, had a micron of 18.1, 2.7 SD, 14.9 CV and 99.9 CF.
The Alfoxton Poll Merino stud, Armidale, NSW, sold lot one for $7000, sold to Deeck Pastoral, Melton Mowbray, Tasmania. The 23 month-old ram had a fleece of 16.9 micron, 2.3 SD, 13.6 CV and 100 CF.
The Roseville Park stud, Dubbo, NSW, sold lot 54, a son of Willandra Desmond, for $5500 to a Nutrien Ag Mortlake account. The 24 month-old ram had a micron of 17.3 3.0 SD, 17.3 CV and 99.7 CF. Lot 51 also from Roseville sold for $5,250 to C A Impey, Minors Rest.
The Blackwood Corriedale stud, Tasmania, offered and sold five rams that sold to a top of $3500. The top was lot 10 that sold to Garvald Vale Partnership, Hamilton. The 11 month-old ram had a 23.8 micron fleece, 15.9 CV and 96.1 CF.
Elders stud stock auctioneer Ross Milne said the sale was a success and most people accepted the different format.
Numbers were well back from previous years when more than 300 rams were offered.
He said some vendors had chosen to market more rams on their on-property sales.
With reasonable seasons through NSW as well as Victoria, there were signs of a rebuild going on, he said.
"Our expectations coming into the ram selling season is for prices around or similar to last year," he said.
"I think people are still prepared to invest in good genetics.
"I don't think producers can afford not to. It helps that there are a few more ewes out there, with hopefully a good season in front of us.
"People are used to paying a certain price for their rams and for that not to differ too much fromone year to the next."
There were 157 registered buyers and 60 active bidders and 439 bids.