A SALE record of $5600 was set at Ulooloo Dohne stud's on-property ram auction at Hallett on Thursday last week.
Continuing on from recent success at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, Vic, co-principals Rob and Greg Hall sold 57 of the 60 rams on offer for a strong average price of $1516 - up $244 on last year's sale.
First-time Ulooloo clients Luke, Stanley, Judy and Jason Ellis, Horsham, Vic, made the long trip across the border a success - returning with the $5600 highest price ram in the catalogue.
They were chasing the ram's "standout" style, and staple length of its free-growing, 20.4 micron and 99.9 per cent comfort factor fleece.
The ram sported Australian Sheep Breeding Values of 5.9 post-weaning weight, 7.4 yearling weight, 0.1 PW eye muscle depth, 0 PW fat and Dohne Index of 145.7.
The ram heads to the Ellis's West Wail Dohne stud.
Buying at the top end was Shayne Willmott, Dunira Prime Lambs, Manoora.
He paid the second-highest price of $3200 for a ram that sported six ASBVs among the top 10 per cent of the Dohne breed.
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This included a post-weaning weight of 9.1, yearling weight of 11.4, PW fat of 0.6, yearling clean fleece weight of 13.9, -1.8 yearling fibre diameter co-efficient of variation and a breed index of 173.8.
Dunira Prime Lamb bought an additional two rams, one at 171.2 on the breed index for $2000 and a third late in the sale for $1600.
Long-term client Nick Schoenberg, Kilderry Park, Saddleworth, operated at the top end and also bought two rams, one at $2800 and one at $2600.
Both of these rams featured high performance growth and terrific nourishment and style of wool.
Trent Nicholls, Apoinga, bought a $2600 ram with heavy wool cutting figures of 13.1YCFW.
Bin Bin Station, Tintinara, was the sale's volume buyer, taking home seven positive flock improvers to $2000, averaging $1357.
Mark Duncan-Tiver, Tigmas Props, Yunta, was another high-volume buyer, buying six rams to $1600, averaging $866.
Kevin Mount, Avondale Props, Melrose, bought five rams to $1800, averaging $1340.
Glen Hayes, Kybunga, secured the first ram offered at $1600, plus four more for an average of $1200.
New clients, the Mildren family, Port Broughton, bought three rams - one at $1800, one at $1600 and one at $600.
With times particularly tough in the pastoral regions, Rob Hall said the sale results were pleasing.
The sale was conducted by Landmark and Elders, with Landmark stud stock's Leo Redden on the gavel.
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