*92 of 99 Merino and Poll Merino rams sold to $5500, av $2462
Consistency of type is the key to success for Glenthompson stud, Nareeb Nareeb Merinos and Poll Merinos, says principal Richard Beggs.
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The stud sold its top-priced ram for $5500 at this year's on-farm sale.
"It's more about clearance and consistency than averages - consistency and type," Mr Beggs said,
"When you are selling sheep, or wool, you want large, even looking lines."
He said that for the first time the stud only sold Poll Merinos and he was very pleased with the near total clearance.
"There were a few rams around that $4500 mark," Mr Beggs said.
"There was a mix of old, and a couple of new clients and there was a lot of comment about the evenness of the whole of the drop.
"They were a 'type', which allowed people to buy large, even lines of rams."
The top-priced ram was a dual-purpose animal, with good bone, carcase and confirmation.
The top-priced April 2021-drop ram was sired by DSPRA21, out of DSPEA21.
He had a 20,1-micron fleece, a standard deviation of 4.4 per cent, co-efficient of variation of 21.7pc and greasy fleece weight index of 93pc.
Carol Hale, Burnbank Farm, Mooralla, said she and partner Andrew Campbell had bought "quite a few" Nareeb Nareeb Dohne Merinos in the past.
"Now we are trying to produce a ram, which is more suitable for our environment with a look at trying to introduce a black foot," Ms Hale said.
"He had a Dohne 'look', he was very square and plain bodied, and had absolutely magnificent wool quality."
The property was in a very wet area of the state, so black-footed sheep suited the region.
Ms Hale said the ram would be used over Dohne Merino ewes.
"He will be producing a good quality foundation flock, and we will put a Corriedale ram over those ewes," she said.
She hoped that would produce a black-footed ram with excellent staple quality wool and a "beautiful meat body."
"We are keeping the Dohne side of the business running, with the Nareeb ram we bought," she said.
"We will constantly go back to Nareeb, for top-quality genetics."
She thanked classer Dale Bruns, Hamilton, for being Burnbank's "guidance" in Dale Bruns when it came to the property's breeding program.
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.
