BUYERS looking to boost the dual-purpose attributes of their flocks found plenty of ideal bargains at the Malleetech Poll Merino sale at Geranium last Friday.
The stud has the top-10 2012-drop SA Poll Merino rams on the Sheep Genetics Dual Purpose Plus index, while more than a third of the rams offered in the sale fell in the top 10pc on the national dual-purpose index.
A total of 41 rams sold to $1200 from the line-up of 60 June/July 2012-drop Poll Merinos, at an average of $627.
Stud principal David Smith was pleased with the result, labelling it Malleetech's best sale.
The top-price ram was bought by new client Tony Skewes, Malleebrae Pastoral Co, Goolwa, buying through Quality Wool's Andrew Keach. The $1200 ram scored 195 on the Dual Purpose Plus index - far higher than the national average of 129. The ram, a twin, had 15.7-micron wool with a clean fleeceweight percentage of 127 per cent, standard deviation of 2.7, 17.2 coefficient of variation and a 99.7pc comfort factor.
* Full report in Stock Journal, October 3 issue, 2013.
