Montrose Hill ram sale top and volume buyers local

The top ram was Lot 33, purchased by Ian Crick, Chute Hill, Chute, who as a third generation farmer said his family owned farm has been buying Montrose Hill rams for over 30 years.

Mr Crick said it was the good wool quality that kept them a return client after all these year's and that was what drew him to Lot 33 overall.

"Obviously I look at the micron too, the body size and quality of the wool," Mr Crick said.

He intended to put the ram over a select group of maiden ewes, along with Lot 29, which he also purchased.

Lot 33 was a Poll Merino,which measured a wool micron of 14.6, a standard deviation (SD) of 2.6, and a comfort factor of 100.

Lot 29 had a micron slightly higher, which measured 16.7, an SD of 2.1, and a CF of 99.8.

Overall, the sale sold 31 of 48 rams offered, and made an average of $1455

Volume buyers, Zoe and Luke Ryan, Wyndarra Pastoral, Illabrook are located just a few kilometres away from Montrose Hill, which Zoe said meant the sheep were well suited to the area they're in.

They run a flock of about 7000 and have an average micron measurement of 17, and appreciated the bright, soft characteristic wool that kept a strong consistency.

They purchased 7 in total, being Lot 3, Lot 6, Lot 8, Lot 37, Lot 45, and Lot 47.

Lot 3 made the second highest price of the sale, selling for $3400, it had a wool micron of 18.2, an SD of 2.9 and a comfort factor of 99.6.

Montrose Hill stud principal George McKenzie said Lot 33 was his pick of the sale this year, and the top end rams sold well, but was slightly disappointed about the base results, however had seen the same current market lull three times in his lifelong career.

"It just goes around, and around in circles," Mr McKenzie said.

"The situation is shifting now in the sheep industry, and it takes two, to three years to come back, but what you do today is what you're going to get in two years time, so you've got to have a bit of foresight.

"In this sheep industry you want to be in a position to capitalise on it, and not having the genetics you want and not improving the numbers, you can't capitalise."

Following the loss of his mother Lucy McKenzie on September 22 this year, who lived until age 101, Mr Mckenzie said she would usually call around four o'clock to check how the sale went, it was the first one in his lifetime without her.

"She'd always been our matriarch," Mr McKenzie said.

But he said it was incredible to see earlier in the year how well the local community showed up to pay their respects to her life.