Carricowie sire reaches $5400 high

The sale reached a high of $5400, while 44 of 59 rams sold for an average $1668.

Regular top end buyer RK,JJ,JK&A Murdoch, Warooka, paid the top price for lot 2 - a son of Collinsville Imperial 007, which was bought by Carricowie at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in 2009.

The 115 kilogram ram had a 19.2 micron fleece with 2.8 standard deviation, 14.6 coefficient of variation and 99.3 per cent comfort factor.

Jamie Murdoch said the ram had a "huge carcase".

"It's able to breed bigger lambs and turn around our wether lambs sooner," he said.

"With lamb prices where they are, it can soon pay for an expensive ram.

"If all the lambs are five to 10kg heavier, it turns out to be a lot of money at the end of the day."

But Mr Murdoch said they were careful not to sacrifice wool quality for this carcase size.

"We like buying bigger rams with low microns," he said.

"Carricowie rams are good value for money."

The Murdochs bought four rams in total, averaging $2450.

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Carricowie principal Bronte Blyth said the top price ram was a "big, square" ram out of a consistently performing sire.

"The only reason we sold this one, is because we've got a few of its sire's progeny, so this was an opportunity to sell a better style of sheep," he said.

He said it was great to see the support from the repeat buyers.

Volume buyers at the sale included JF Honner & Co, Yorketown, with seven rams to $2400, averaging $1843 and Nundora Station, Broken Hill, NSW, which bought six rams to $800, averaging $666.

Karoongi Pastoral, Minlaton, also bought one ram in the main auction and nine in the mini auction at $600.

The sale was conducted by Landmark with Leo Redden wielding the gavel.