SALE SUMMARY
2017 2016
Offered 150 150
Sold 150 150
Top $15,000 $18,000
Av $3161 $2912
STUD and commercial buyers from four states went head-to-head at Moorundie Poll Merino stud’s sixth annual ram sale at Keith, producing one of the SA sales of the season.
In a total clearance Geoff and Bernadette Davidson sold 150 of their March and June shorn rams for a cracking $3161 average, on Wednesday last week – up $249 on their 2016 result
The stellar on-property sale capped off a golden run for the stud which has set the pace all season, topping the Adelaide Merino ram sale for the third consecutive year at $52,000 and Hamilton Sheepvention for the second year in a row.
Their on-property sale’s $15,000 top priced ram was Lot 4 – a massive, well-balanced, 21.9 micron son of homebred sire PB222.
LCH Bartlett & Partners, Sherwood outlasted intense bidding to secure the 17-month-old ram,
Buyer Paul Bartlett said the 140 kilogram ram would be used for “corrective mating” in their commercial Merino flock of 3200 ewes to putting more carcase into their Merino lambs.
“We have worked on the wool quality but we want to push the meat side with eye muscle and fat score, with Merino wethers selling so well,” he said.
“It is a ram that ticks all the boxes – early maturing, good frame with good quality wool.”
Studs scrambled to get impact sires , including the three second highest priced rams at $10,000 each.
Fred Leo, Leovale stud, Lake Grace, WA, bought Lot 2 , a 21.1M AI bred ram from Minta stud, while the Wood family, Woodoona, Karoonda secured Lot 26, – a son of PB202- for the same money.
“It has beautiful soft wool with a bold crimp and very good shape,” Ian Wood said.
Also at $10,000 Aracadian Wool’s Rob Carberry and client Brian Klowss, Arapiles Plains Poll Merino stud, Natimuk, Vic secured a 17.8M ram with elite wool.
The exceptional returns in the self-replacing Merino flocks were clearly evident with the 71 registered bidders from the high rainfall areas of Vic to the Upper North of SA lifting their sights, paying $2500 to $4000.
And in a sign of the depth of the catalogue the final lot of the sale still made $2800.
Tiller & Thompson, Hoyleton, led the buying with 14 rams for a $3321 average.
Matt and Tracy Parker, Langkoop, bought seven rams for a $2214 average while Moorundie commercial consultant Paul Cousins, put together six rams for Wirlla Holdings, Gladstone, averaging $2550.
Mr Davidson was pleased to see clients reaping the rewards of great wool and meat prices and with Australia making up only one per cent of the world’s meat and wool industry he said there was a very small risk of oversupply.
“A lot of the success is due to the commitment of producers to produce a better quality article – meat that is more consistent and wool that is far better to wear,” he said.
Spence Dix & Co auctioneer Luke Schreiber said it was a “very solid result” on the back of repeat loyal clients who still saw value in the rams and were prepared to pay more for quality genetics.
“The line-up was a terrific example of frame and wool cut which Moorundie are renowned for and buyers showed confidence in a program that has got the runs on the board,” he said.
Elders stud stock manager Tony Wetherall said it was a “fantastic day” with a great spread of stud and commercial buyers.
“The direction that Moorundie are going producing those real quality snappy white wools that do in high rainfall environment – it was evident that the sheep are performing for their clients.”
Elders and Spence Dix & Co were joint selling agents with Tony Wetherall, Luke Schreiber and Jono Spence the auctioneers.