A SMALLER offering of increased quality stock rewarded vendors and satisfied demand at Coolibar Dohne's on-property ram sale on August 20.
Brian and Rosalie Calderwood's mixed sheep and cropping property, south of Tumby Bay, produced solid results, with the catalogue topper fetching $2800 - $200 more than last year's best.
A last-minute inclusion because "he was a ram that we were nearly going to keep ourselves", Mr Calderwood said the twin-gene ram's impressive on-paper credentials got bidders' attention.
With the highest Dohne index at 150.38, and wool measurement figures of 17.7 micron and 99.8 per cent comfort factor, the 15-month old was the first ram offered.
He was bought by long-time Coolibar client David Hickman, Castle Hill, Curramulka.
Mr Hickman has been sourcing Coolibar Dohne genetics for five years.
"They're just really good quality, big frame rams, and this fella is just that: he has good wool figures and the carcase to match," he said.
Crediting the Eyre Peninsula stud's fine wool meat sheep for his first-cross breeding success, Mr Hickman said Coolibar's 2014 top seller will cover Poll Merino ewes, with the first progeny expected on the ground in late March, 2015.
* Full report in Stock Journal, August 28, 2014 issue.
