Despite missing two volume pastoral buyers, Babirra Poll Merino and Dohne stud saw a generous clearance of both breeds at their on-property auction at Stansbury yesterday.
A smaller offering of Dohnes saw 26 of 34 clear, averaging $1654, while the Poll Merinos saw a healthier clearance both in terms of top price and average with 22 of 28 sold at an average of $1341.
The top priced Dohne was purchased by Brendan Ebsary, Barunga Gap, for $4000, bought on his behalf by Matt Ward, Elders Yorke Peninsula Livestock Manager.
The ram scored an index grade of 150.4 with a 19.8 micron, 15.2 coefficient of variation and 99.8 per cent comfort factor.
The Australian Sheep Breeding Values rated the ram a 5.9 on post weaning weight with a 13.2 yearling clean fleece weight.
Matt Ward said the Dohne ram would go to Mr Ebsary’s Kangaroo Island property to put over Leachim blood ewes.
“The deep-bodied ram from a top sire had a fleece with good micron and softness, and was of early growth and weaning weight,” Mr Ward said.
GD&JA Cook, Minlaton, purchased the top priced Poll Merino for $3400.
The 103.5 kilogram ram was sired by PB 432 and presented a fleece with 19.9 micron, 3.4 standard deviation, 17.1 coefficient of variation and 99.7 per cent comfort factor.
The Cook family are local return buyers who run over 600 Merino ewes and Mr Cook liked the large framed ram for its very dense, white wool that fit their micron range.
Volume Dohne buyers included Holland Park Nominees Pty Ltd, Minlaton with six to $3200, averaging $1866, AP Cook, Minlaton, with five averaging $1280, and DS PD&SS Agnew, Minlaton, topped at $2600, averaging $2333.
In the Poll Merino line, WH Giles, Minlaton took home four averaging $950 and Roachfield Proprietors, Kadina, also bought four averaging $800.
Elders and Landmark conducted the sale with Elders Tom Penna as auctioneer.
