*59 of 72 rams sold to $9500, av $2139
A LARGER offering of rams at Forest Springs Merinos sold to strong demand, with the average jumping $355 to $2139 and a top of $9500 being reached.
Forest Springs stud principal Bruce Dean, Joel Joel, said it was a tremendous result.
"I'm very happy, great result," Mr Dean said.
He said the catalogue was up from 60 rams in 2020 when 46 rams sold at auction.
He said this year's clearance rate was terrific, with a number of rams that were passed in under the hammer being sold immediately after the auction.
There were a number of new buyers including a couple that normally sourced rams in NSW but purchased locally instead.
Mr Dean said people were looking for well-balanced sheep.
"We think we have done that, improving the carcase without losing on the wool, and the feet are still good and we haven't lost sight of structure," he said.
He said the dominant sire in the catalogue was Wallaloo Park 181491, with 21 of the 72 rams in by the ram.
WP 181491 sired the top-priced ram that sold for $9500 to Joe Peacock, Landsborough West.
Lot 11 was a 19.9-micron ram with a standard deviation (SD) of 2.9 micron, comfort factor (CF) of 99.5 per cent, a post weaning weight (PWWT) of +3.5 kilograms and yearling weight (YWT) of +5kg.
New buyer Dave Bibby, Maranui Pastoral, Tatyoon, bought six rams including the second top-priced ram at $6250.
The ram was also by WP 181491 and showed measurements of 19.8 micron, an SD of 3, CF of 99.6pc, PWWT of +6.5kg and YWT of +7.7kg.
Mr Bibby said they normally bought rams from NSW but the pandemic had forced them to look closer to home.
He said they had kept an eye on the Forest Springs sheep and liked the stud's bold crimping wools.
He bought six of the first 20 rams on offer at an average of $3916, including Lot 1, an 18.9-micron ram by Wallaloo Park 170198, at $4500, and Lot 20 also at $4500, with an 18.6-micron fleece, and a 3.1 SD, CF of 99.5pc and PWWT of +3.1kg.
Lot 4 of the sale, a 19.2-micron ram by WP 1810491, sold for $6000 to account Wilkinson, Joel South.
The ram had an SD of 3.3, CF of 99.4pc, and positive numbers for PWWT at +5.1kg and YWT of +6.5kg.
SW Martin, Concongella, paid up to $3500 for three rams, with the top being Lot 7, a ram by WP 170198 with an 18.6-micron fleece, an SD of 3.1 and CF of 99.1pc.
Regular buyer, BJ & GJ McClelland, Emu, bought three rams to a top of $3250 for Lot 18.
The ram was another sired by WP 181491 and had a micron of 18.5, an SD of 3.2 and CF of 99.5pc.
The ram had a +7.5kg for PWWT and +9.7kg for YWT.
JA & JJ Start, Crowlands, put together a draft of three rams with the top being $4000 for Lot 45, a ram by Mumblebone 130850, which showed figures of 18.8 micron, an SD of 3 and CF of 99.4pc.
Buyer of two rams was Mathew Hall, Joel South, who paid to a top of $3250 for Lot 24.
The ram was also by WP 181941 and was showing an 18.2-micron fleece with an SD of 2.9 and CF of 99.7pc.
The ram also had figures of +5.1kg for PWWT and +6.2kg for YWT.
CJ & CA Young, Banyena, paid $3000 for Lot 17, another ram that was sired by WP 181941, that had a 21.1-micron fleece, an SD of 3 and CF of 99.4pc.