Moorundie Park sells to $10,000

The sale offered 180 Poll Merino rams with all sold to a top of $10,000 and an average $2095, with rams heading to all parts of SA, as well as interstate to Vic and NSW.

The top price was paid for a 107 kilogram, 15-month-old ram, dubbed a "stud sire" by auctioneer Tony Wetherall, Elders.

It had a fleece of 19.6 microns, 3.1 standard deviation, 16.4 coefficient of variation and 99.4 per cent comfort factor, as well as an eye muscle depth of 40.5 millimetres and fat of 5mm, bought by White River stud, Poochera.

Moorundie Park principal Tom Davidson said the ram had "gutsy, well-nourished wool" with a long body and great structure.

"It's a ram with thickness and excellent purity," he said.

The next highest price was for a 133kg ram with 44.2EMD, 10mm fat, 17.9M, 3.1SD, 17.3CV and 99.6CF, which was bought by Hamilton Run, Jamestown, at $7400.

Mr Wetherall said this ram had "huge sire potential" with "bulk and production".

Mr Davidson said it had great growth rates, with great testing, bright wool.

Volume buyer at the sale was Peter Evans Investment, through Elders Balaklava, which bought 16 rams at $1000.

Also putting a substantial team together was regular buyers RJ Michael, Carriewerloo Station, via Port Augusta, with 15 rams to $3000, averaging $1333.

Repeat buyers DH Turnbull & Co, Cleve, bought 11 rams, bidding right through the catalogue to a top of $3200, averaging $2464.

Bungaree Props, Clare, also bought 11 rams, bidding to $1600, averaging $1391.

Annerley Props, Geranium, after buying eight rams last year, bought another eight this year, to $3000, averaging $2062.

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Interstate buyers AD&SC Willson, Tarago, NSW, through Landmark Goulburn, NSW, picked up eight rams, averaging $2525, and bidding to $3500.

Also buying up from across the border was IS,BA&SJ McVicar, Underbool, Vic, through Elders Mildura, Vic, with seven rams to $3000, averaging $2329.

WP&JD Quinn, Cleve, bought six rams to $1600, averaging $1400.

McCarthy & Partners, Jamestown, bought five rams to , averaging $2260.

Tepco Proprietors, Willalooka, bought five rams to $2700, averaging $2200.

Mr Davidson said he and wife Laura were happy with the sale, with a lift in the average, but great value still on offer in the second half.

He said there were many long-term relationships with clients that went back as much as 50 or 60, or even 70, years and were into their third-generation, in some cases.

"We're grateful for the support of our loyal clients," he said.

"We're also grateful for the newcomers and hope to form that relationship with them in the coming years."

Mr Davidson said this loyalty was not taken lightly and in response, they were striving to constantly improve the rams they offered, with a focus on what drove the profit in a commercial flock.

"We've been keeping our better rams and travelling across the country, looking for the better rams, either through artificial insemination or buying them rams," he said.

"We're spending the time and money to get where we want to be."

Mr Wetherall said this investment had paid off with the 180 rams offered even and of a "type".

"You can see the genetic package, right throughout," he said.

The sale was conducted by Elders with Mr Wetherall, Tom Penna and Damien Webb all sharing the gavel.