New faces help boost Lucernbrae average

Thirty-six rams were sold from 60 offered, averaging $1636, a significant improvement on the 2018 average of $1173.

The $3200 top price ram was bought by Sean and Bec Freeman, Penong, with bidding carried out by Bill Walker, Classings Limited, Murray Bridge.

The sale topper, sired by Lucernbrae Gn 010, was a 103-kilogram Poll Merino ram boasting a greasy fleece weight rating of 127 per cent measuring 18.8 micron, 99.8 per cent comfort factor, 3 standard deviation and 15.7 coefficient of variation.

Mr Walker said the ram was a "good all-rounder", with good fibre density and fluid nourishment.

He said the ram would be used to further enhance the Freemans' commercial flock of 1800 Merino ewes.

Volume buyers on the day included repeat clients Kym and Denise Frahn, Signal Hill, Mannum, who bought seven rams averaging $2400, KR&ML Thiele, Pompoota, who bought five rams averaging $1240, as well as Colrae Farms, Callington, who bought six rams to $2600, averaging $2160.

A first-time buyer on the day was Kitschke Ag, Jamestown, who bought six rams, averaging $1483.

Lucernbrae stud co-principal Judy Paech said the sale result was what she was expecting, and she was grateful for the support of repeat buyers, but was excited to see a few new faces.

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"It was good to see the regulars coming back and buying, the ones that have supported us all this time, like the Thieles and the Frahns," she said.

"They've been good to us."

Ms Paech said the stud was working towards producing a "big meaty sheep with elite fibre".

We're looking around the 18 micron mark. That's our goal, and we'll keep working towards that."

The sale, conducted by Landmark Murray Bridge, was auctioneered by Landmark stud stock's Leo Redden, who said while there were no buyers from pastoral areas, there was good local support for the sale.

"Lack of station support meant that the local buyers could be really selective, and as a result there was good competition on the elite wool sheep," he said.

Mr Redden said elite wools were the "order of the day" at Lucernbrae, with the infusion of some big carcase sheep resulting in a noticeable improvement in the structure of the stud's sheep in recent years.

"In the last two seasons there's been a really good increase in fast growth genetics, they've kept the wool and got some impressive carcase traits," he said.

Mr Redden also said the quality of the sheep on offer still found good market value.