Gippsland Merino studs show their rams ahead of multi-vendor August 30 sale

Prospective buyers from across Victoria and NSW visited the studs situated from central Gippsland at Giffard West to the state's high country at Benambra, where snow was reported a day later.

Round Hill Merino stud, Pendarra Merino & Poll Merino stud, Nicholson River Merino stud, Stockton Merino stud, Bindawarra/Bindawarra Poll stud and The Fringe Merino stud will offer rams at the August 30 sale.

The sale this year will be held at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange in Bairnsdale.

Elders Gippsland district wool manager Mal Nicholls, who is set to retire and hand the reins over to newly-appointed wool manager Madi Gallagher next year, said studs reported strong interest from potential buyers.

"We've had good turnouts at all of the studs and breeders were very happy with the attendance," he said.

Fifth-generation Merino breeder John Freeman, The Fringe, Briagolong, said his sheep had benefited from three bumper consecutive seasons after years of drought.

Meanwhile, Benambra woolgrowers Kelvin and Jackie Pendergast, Pendarra, had a few inches of snow on Tuesday, a day after opening their gates to more than 60 people.

"The snow followed after we received about 24 millimetres of rain overnight," Mr Pendergast said.

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Bindawarra/Bindawarra Poll stud principals Steve and Lisa Harrison, Giffard West, will keep their consignment of 67 rams at home this year, opting to remain part of the sale and offer their rams online.

"We thought we would leave the rams here at Giffard West due to client demand and biosecurity concerns around foot and mouth disease," Mr Harrison said.

Visitors to the Harrison's property near the South Gippsland Highway were required to sign in and declare what other properties they had visited, after stepping in a foot bath, before entering the shearing shed.

"The rams will be penned here on sale day for those who wish to have a look at them and sold via AuctionsPlus," Mr Harrison, who is the president of the Victorian Farmers Federation's Livestock Group, said.

Further east at Hillside, near Bairnsdale, Stockton Merino stud principal Allan Stewart was busy welcoming visitors to his property from across the state.

The stud will offer 24 polled Merino rams at 15 months of age.

"These rams were born in water and are still running in water," Mr Stewart said.

Last year his East Gippsland property received more than 1200mm of rain, and more than 600mm has fallen since January 1 this year.

"We have a real focus on the meat in our sheep," Mr Stewart said.

"One of our sires went into the 2020 Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association a while ago and his progeny had the heaviest average carcase weight in the competition."

Nicholson River Merino stud principal Doug Pemberton, Nicholson, said close to 30 people attended his property.

This year the stud will offer six high-indexing sires at the Bairnsdale sale.

"We were very pleased with the positive feedback we received during the field day," he said.

"We had a lot of nice people turn up so we're really looking forward to the sale."

Another high country woolgrower, Brendan Ah Sam, Round Hill Merino stud, had strong interest from prospective clients during his open day at Omeo.

"We had good support with probably 30-40 people through, which was surprising considering no one could get over (Mount Hotham) due to the snow," Mr Ah Sam said.

The Ah Sams will sell 20 horned Merino rams at the sale in Bairnsdale next week.