PEPPER Well Poll Merino stud increased its sale average and number of rams sold at its 18th annual on-property auction at Keyneton on Monday last week.
Twenty registered buyers competed for the 44 paddock-reared, non-mulesed 13-month-old rams, with 37 selling to $3000 and averaging $1316. Last year, 28 of 32 rams sold to $4000 and averaged $1293.
The sale high of $3000 was reached at lot 2, which was bought by return client Richard and Tracy Hentschke, Thorlindah, Tungkillo. The ram had bright, bold lustrous 16.4 micron wool, with a 2.7 standard deviation, 16.6 coefficient of variation, and 99.8 per cent comfort factor, with an excellent post-weaning weight to muscle ratio of 1.66 kilograms per millimetre of post-weaning eye muscle depth.
Thorlindah bought three rams to average $2266.
Mr Henstchke said he liked the "progressive skin type" of the Pepper Well rams, with "bold aligned wool on square, correct, well-muscled frames".
Wanbi's Mat Seidel - a long-time second generation client - once again operated early, securing the 17.6M lot 1 ram for $1000. Mr Seidel finished with five rams to $2000, averaging $1260.
Return volume buyer DE&FM Sanders, Keith, were very active in the first half of the catalogue and put a great team of eight rams together to $1700, averaging $1412.
DW Kubenk & Sons bought three rams averaging $1500 and BA Verrall, Eden Valley. bought four rams averaging $850.
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A further 13 rams were sold in a mini auction, meaning 20 more rams found homes on auction day than in 2019.
Mr Graetz said the result gave him a lot of confidence going forward, especially given most of his clients had been in drought for many years.
Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Gordon Wood described the sale rams as uncomplicated modern Merinos with a supple skin.
"The sale was well supported by return buyers achieving a reasonable clearance without volume buyers," Mr Wood said.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien Fawcett, Mount Pleasant.
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