*74 Dohne rams of 92 sold to $3600, av $1582
An "eye-catching" Dohne sire has been purchased for $3600 from Koonik Dohnes, Nurcoung, by a repeat South Australia buyer.
Greg Dinning, Mundulla, SA, said he started off buying Hamilton Run Dohnes years ago.
"I just bought the one this year," Mr Dinning said.
"I just liked his size, he had a pretty good frame on him and good feet - he was a bit of an eye-catcher, as he walked into the sale."
The ram would be single-mated to the best line of Mr Dinning's ewes.
"We have been on Dohnes since 2006 and we have actually noticed a decrease in the wool cut," he said.
"I want to maintain, or increase, that wool cut - with some of the early rams we were buying in, there was nowhere near the wool cut.
"In the past 10 years there has been a vast improvement in the cut and the quality is coming back."
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Koonik stud co-principal Fiona Cameron said the top-priced ram, lot 3, was an outstanding animal with Australian Sheep Breeding Values that indicated he would have an impact on the Dinning's commercial flock.
He was in the top 20 per cent for weaning weight and yearling clean fleece weight, top 10pc for yearling weight and top 5pc for yearling coefficient of variation.
The ram had a maternal weaning weight of 1.35 kilograms, a weaning weight of 5.51kg, a post-weaning weight of 5.37kg and a yearling weight of 7.7kg.
His post-weaning eye muscle depth was 0.55 millimetres, the ram's post-weaning fat measurement was -0.31mm and his yearling eye-muscle depth was 1.27mm.
He had a yearling clean fleece weight of 12.36kg and a Dohne plus index figure of 151.6.
Ms Cameron said she was really happy with the sale.
"I think the ram is a good all-rounder who ticked all the boxes," Ms Cameron said.
Elders Horsham livestock agent Richard Emmerson said Broken Hill, NSW, buyer Tony Brown was among the purchasers who picked up a number of rams.
Mr Brown, Reola Station, bought 15 rams for an average price of $1000.
"He is out on some pretty tough country, he hasn't got feed to burn as it's still pretty dry, where he is," Mr Emmerson said.
"He is buying the rams because they last."
Another volume buyers was Carr's Plains Pastoral, Marnoo West.
There were four new clients, among the 20 registered buyers from NSW, Victoria and SA, which also included 16 repeat clients.
The sale was conducted by Elders and Nutrien Ag Solutions.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
