The reputation and predictability of the Lehmann family's Flairdale program attracted new clients as well as strong support from long-standing clients at its Cooke Plains sale on Monday.
Flairdale recorded its highest on-property top price of $7400, just pipping its 2019 sale top of $7200 - with both rams bought by Graham Buchanan, Karoonda. The sale average of $2622 was also a record for the stud, with 74 of the 75 Poll Merino rams offered sold.
In addition to the record top price and average, the clearance rate was also up on last year's sale, when 60 of 77 rams sold to $6000, averaging $2181.
The top price was paid for lot 1 - tag 20-0252 - which was sired by Flairdale 180015, and had 19.8-micron wool with 18.9 coefficient of variation, 3.8 standard deviation and a 99.8 comfort factor.
It had Australian Sheep Breeding Values of 7.9 for post-weaning weight, 10.8 yearling weight, 0.8 yearling eye muscle depth, 0.4 yearling fat, 25.6 yearling clean fleece weight, -0.5 yearling fleece diameter, 15.2 yearling staple length, along with a Merino Production Plus index of 166.2 and a Dual Purpose Plus index of 178.2.
Mr Buchanan bought three rams averaging $6400, including a late inclusion to the sale - tag 200202 - a stud reserve offered at lot A for $6600.
He has been buying rams from the Lehmann family for more than 40 years, and selects the best rams he can to improve his flock using a low ram to ewe ratio of 1 to 100 for maximum genetic gain.
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He selects sires based on their wool cut and staple length, seeking soft-handling wool to keep the micron under 21 in mature ewes.
"The Flairdale sheep do well in our soft, undulating, low-rainfall country," he said.
Homebred sire 180015 is breeding well, with its 16 sons in the sale averaging $3244.
Dale and Debbi Paxton, Vivonne Bay, Kangaroo Island, operated strongly throughout the catalogue and bought eight rams to $4400, averaging $3350.
The Paxtons have been buying from the Lehmann family for many years.
Mr Paxton said their first priority was selecting for constitution with positive fat and eye muscle, with good feet to handle the cold and wet in their 700-millimetre rainfall.
"Wool is number two and we are aiming to keep our mature ewes under 19M," he said.
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Laskey Farming, Orroroo, was the volume buyer, securing nine rams to $4800, averaging $2656. MA Hannaford bought five rams averaging $2180, while five buyers bought four rams each, meaning there was strong competition throughout the catalogue.
Rams sold from Mount Gambier to Orroroo and many areas in between. The sale was interfaced with AuctionsPlus, with 132 bids placed online. Ten rams were knocked down to Vic clients.
Nutrien auctioneer Richard Miller said the sale offered value for money for all budgets, and described the offering as "a consistent line-up of true dual-purpose rams, real bale-fillers with heavy wool cut, outstanding carcase shape and industry leading ASBVs.
Flairdale co-principal Matt Lehmann was pleased to attract new clients.
"It was a great sale and we are very happy with the clearance and record average and top price," he said.
The auctioneering duties were shared by Mr Miller and Elders' Laryn Gogel, with Nutrien Strathalbyn the duty agents.
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