BIDDING remained strong throughout the entire catalogue at the Nyowee 20th on-property Poll Merino ram sale, Halbury.
There were 164 rams offered, with full clearance to a top of $7000, averaging $2490 - a lift of nearly $400 on last year's average.
The top price was paid for a later addition to the catologue - one of the reserves from the stud's Royal Adelaide Show team, which came in at lot 164 but was sold before the run of spring-drop rams started.
The 16-month-old, 120 kilogram ram had a 22-micron fleece with 3.2 standard deviation, 14.5 coefficient of variation and 99.6 per cent comfort factor.
It was bought by Drualat Bore Pastoral Trust, Murray Bridge, which also bought two of the other three reserve rams, including the 111kg, 20.8M, 3.2SD, 15.4CV and 99.5CF ram that sold for the second highest price of $6400.
Drualat Bore Pastoral Trusts' Dean Helyar said the rams appealed with their good wool and body structure.
"They're good, all-round ram," he said.
"If the quality is there, we'll chase it."
This was their first time attending the Nyowee on-property sale, but they had bought a Nyowee ram before, at the Adelaide Ram Sale.
The rams will go out with some of their 5000 commercial Merino ewes.
The three rams averaged $6067.
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There was strong interstate interest in the sale - of the 164 rams offered, 79 are heading across the border.
Volume buyer, and bidding throughout the catologue, was RJ&BA Edwards, Devon Station, Broken Hill, NSW, who bought 21 rams to $3400, averaging $2081.
Also buying up big was WG&EM Bendall, Lake Cargelligo, NSW, with 20 rams to $1500, averaging $1140.
Warooka Pastoral Co, Melville Forest, Vic, bought 14 rams to $3800, averaging $2843.
Repeat buyers LN&SM Bury & Son, Quorn, bought nine rams to $3800, averaging $2633.
P Roberts, Riverton, was also buying at the top end, with eight rams to $5600, averaging $3737.
Investing in top-end genetics was JR Bruce, Riverton, with six rams to $6200, averaging $4800, while DM Scott & Co, Burra, bought five rams to $6000, averaging $4470.
Nyowee principal Ian Michael said he was happy with the sale, particularly the distance people were travelling to access their rams.
With some pastoral buyers not active, they elected to reduce their numbers slightly but still had plenty of interest in private selections following the sale, with about 20 sold after.
Elders auctioneer Tony Wetherall said the sale's quality attracted buyers from a big area, with the offering consistent, with strong bidding on the better lots and solid bidding throughout.
Landmark auctioneer Leo Redden said the quality offered continued right through the catalogue.
"The top-end buyers were able to operate deep into the catalogue," he said.
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