The success of the Eyre Peninsula On-property Inspection Days earlier this week has some stud breeders considering whether it could become permanent.
To ensure the studs could showcase their upcoming sale rams in these COVID-19 times the long running pre-sale expo usually held at Wudinna Showground was replaced with two on-property inspection days stretching from Ceduna to Kapinnie.
On Monday, Mallee Hill, Minta, O'Brien, Pimbena and White River opened their gates on the Upper EP: , while another nine studs, Allala, Brimanna, Brenalta, Calcookara, Collandra North, Glenville, Roemahkita, Secret Rocks and Yanta welcomed visitors on Tuesday for the first SA Merino field days of the season.
Roemahkita stud principal Joe Dahlitz said they had about 80 visitors to their Cummins field day, about half of which were locals and the remainder Mid North and Mallee stud breeders.
He said it was a chance to display their entire catalogue for their sale in a whereas at Wudinna they were only able to have a selection of the offering.
'We have some people who have never been to our place before, we normally take 18 rams to Wudinna but we were able to let everyone look at the whole 110 or 115 rams," he said.
Rain across the area of 10-15mm on the weekend prior to the field day had added to the optimism of those producers attending the inspection days.
"There would have been big areas in a fair bit of trouble before the rain," he said.
They will still need a good rain at the end of July or early August but this has bought them a bit of breathing space."
Mr Dahlitz said he was "quietly confident" about ram sales but was concerned the border restrictions could have an impact on some sales, especially those studs which have multiple Vic and NSW clients.
O'Brien stud principal Darren O'Brien said they had 50 to 60 visitors to their Kyancutta property.
He said it was a great opportunity to showcase all their sale rams rather than only a few, although thick fog did not lift until lunchtime.
"No one has been anywhere for months so they were keen to get out," Mr O'Brien said.
"You have to be able to do something and the way it went this year it will probably happen again next year."
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