THE 28th annual Minta Merino and Poll Merino ram sale at Mount Cooper on August 28 featured a strong $4000 top price and a $1523 average.
And with 31 more rams offered this year, a healthy 85 per cent clearance was achieved.
Regular and long-time buyer Rod Farrow, Woolowie, Wool Bay, bought the top-price ram, only a year old but 93 kilograms. Its fleece measured 18.1 microns, 3.0 standard deviation, 16.3 per cent coefficient of variation and 99.8pc comfort factor.
Mr Farrow said there was a lot to like about the ram. "He's just a really good sheep and he'll grow into a very big ram," he said.
Stud principal Mark Hull said he was very happy with the sale result.
"We increased our numbers this year, to keep the average down," he said.
He said he was focused on producing a true dual-purpose animal.
Conditions this year were a challenge, with more than 400 millimetres of rain during the growing season.
The sale featured mainly return buyers with the addition of two new bidders.
One new buyer, Hebberman Bros Family Trust, Poochera, bought one ram at $900.
The other new buyer Jeff Biggs, Westwud P/L, Wudinna, took three to $1800.
* Full report in Stock Journal, September 4, 2014 issue.
Paula Thompson
Stock Journal's markets editor.
Stock Journal's markets editor.
