Babirra Dohne sells to $3800

The Dohne offering reached a high of $3800, with 44 of the 60 rams sold to an average price of $1586.

In the Poll Merinos, 17 of 30 sold to $2800, averaging $1176.

Paying the Dohne top price was repeat buyers Colin and Tina Black, Caltowie.

The twin ram, which had a Dohne index of 156.8, came midway through the catalogue at lot 24.

It weighed 101 kilograms, with a fat depth of 5 millimetres, eye muscle depth of 35.5mm, with a fleece measuring 17.4 micron, 2.3 standard deviation, 13.2 coefficient of variation and 99.7 per cent comfort factor.

Mr Black said the ram appealed for its "nice, clean white wool", and high Australian Sheep Breeding Value figures, including a score of 13.6 for yearling clean fleece weight.

The Blacks run about 50 per cent to 60pc Dohnes, with the rest of their flock Merino, and crosses between the two breeds.

Mr Black said despite being a commercial breeder, he also breeds some of his own rams, which is why he prefers to buy at the top end.

"If you buy a decent ram, you pay a bit more but you get value out of it," he said.

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Also buying at the top end of the Dohne catalogue was Brian Calderwood, Coolibah stud, Tumby Bay, who bought three rams to the second highest price of $3600, averaging $3066.

Graeme Bittner, Curramulka, paid the top price for the Poll Merino, a 107kg sire with a 20.9M, 3.6SD, 17.2CV, 99.2CF, 3.5fat and 31.5EMD.

He said the evenness and wool covering stood out, as did the body size.

"It's a good overall ram and the type I was looking for," he said.

"It will go in with some SAMM ewes to cross back and bulk the wool up a bit."

Babirra's Lynda Farrow said she was pleased with the evenness of the lineup of rams offered, along with the good numbers of repeat buyers.

This year, Babirra decided not to hold its customary second sale at Mount Pleasant later in the season, which increased the number offered at the on-property sale.

Ms Farrow said this was driven by the tough season earlier this year, and many of their Adelaide Hills clients had travelled across to Yorke Peninsula.

Volume buyers included DS,PD&SS Agnew, Minlaton, which bought eight Dohne rams to $3000, averaging $1875; Holland Park Nominees, Minlaton, bought six Dohne rams to $2400, averaging $1333, while NR Parsons, Kelly, also bought six at $800.

The sale was conducted by Elders and Landmark with Elders' stud stock's Tom Penna as auctioneer.