LOCAL confidence in the season has contributed to an outstanding ram sale result at O'Brien Poll Merino and Dohne stud at Wudinna Showground on Thursday last week.
Selling particularly well were the 65 Poll Merinos on offer, with all clearing to $7000 and averaging $2392.
The average was nearly double of the previous year's sale of $1272 and well up on the $1325 average in 2017.
O'Brien stud principal Darren O'Brien said it was by far their best result in their eight years of ram sales.
"We have never had a total clearance before," he said.
"Other than an improve in the season locally, support also came for the first Ridgway Advance 150103 progeny offered with data, after a very successful 2017 SA sire evaluation at Keyneton."
Mr O'Brien was also pleased to see a handful of new buyers among the 37 registered, attending from the Mid North, Port Lincoln, Streaky Bay and Broken Hill, NSW, plus locals from Wudinna, Warramboo and Kyancutta.
"It was good to see people that we have chatted with at the (Eyre Peninsula Stud Merino and Poll Merino) pre-sale expo the past few years come to our sale to buy rams," he said.
Buying the $7000 top price Poll Merino at lot 19 was DJ&WK Murphy & Sons, Warramboo.
The big, deep-bodied, 120-kilogram ram, sired by Leahcim 142035, had impressive ASBVs of 8.1 yearling weight, 0.7 yearling fat, 1.1 yearling eye muscle depth, and 17.1 yearling clean fleece weight, and fleece measuring 19.9 micron and 99.2 per cent comfort factor.
The Murphys also bought the $5600 second-highest price Poll Merino ram at lot 13 and lot 5 for $3800.
Lot 13, sired by Ridgway Advance 150103, was a 18.9M long-bodied, 108kg ram with 6.7YWT, 24YCFW and 99.4CF.
Volume Merino buyers were Keeping Go, Warramboo, taking home 11 rams to $3800.
First time buyers, TE&A Gameau, Port Lincoln, bought good woolled rams including lot 39 for $4200, while GM&JF O'Brien, Kyancutta, bought five Poll Merinos to $2600.
Westwud, Wudinna, bought lot 1 at $4200, and "value of the day" lot 8 - a Ridgway Advance 150103-sired young ram - at $3800.
BIG INCREASE IN DOHNE AVERAGE
THE O'Brien Dohne ram auction also achieved a marked improvement, with a near clearance and $704 increase on the 2018 sale average.
Of the 50 rams offered, 44 sold to $3200 twice, averaging $1582.
One top price Dohne was bought by Morgan Ag, Coulta/Marble Range.
The 109-kilogram ram had positive fat and eye muscle depth ASBVs, plus 7 yearling weight, 20.4 yearling clean fleece weight and 9.5 yearling staple length.
Morgan Ag also bought lots 70 at $1400 and 82 at $1200.
JH McKenna & Son, Kyancutta, bought the other top price Dohne, which was a standout for its long body and deep crimpy wool.
Sired by Hamilton Run 160464, the 115kg ram had ASBVS of 6.1YWT 6.1, 0.7YEMDand 19.1YCFW.
The McKennas also bought lot 63 at $2000 - the best woolled Dohne in the shed - plus four Poll Merinos and half Dohne rams.
Volume buyers Omaroo Ag, Kyancutta, took home 10 half Dohne and Dohne rams to $3000. The repeat client had been recording 120 per cent lambing in station country between Warramboo and Polda.
TJ Patterson, Piednippie, also bought up big with 12 half Dohne and Dohne rams to $3000.
RD&MJ Butcher secured eight half Dohne and Dohne rams to run at Polda Station, after also recording great lambing percentages and weight gains in station country despite the dry conditions.
The sale was conducted by Landmark and FPAg.
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