CALLOWIE Poll Merino presented a catalogue of heavy wool-cutting and easy-doing Poll Merino rams at its on-property auction at Bordertown on Monday.
Repeat regular buyers were able to secure the rams they selected, with 31 of 58 rams offered sold averaging $1374 - an increase of $69 on last year.
Repeat buyer Cove Station secured the top price ram - lot 37, tag 20-0424 - for $3000. This ram weighed 105 kilograms had 20-micron wool with measurements of 3 standard deviation, 14.4 coefficient of variation and 99.2 per cent comfort factor, and had a 100-millimetre staple length for six months' wool growth.
Its Australian Sheep Breeding Values included 21 for yearling clean fleece weight, 7.9 yearling weight, and 0.8 yearling eye muscle depth, and it had a Dual Purpose Plus index of 156 and a Merino Production Plus index of 148.
Cove Station's Ricky and Jayne Miles bought 11 rams averaging $1491 through Westech Ag Kyle Livestock's Stuart Kyle.
"The Callowie rams are good doers, easy-care sheep - they are heavy wool-cutters and real bale fillers," Mr Kyle said. "We selected for these traits on a good structure. They suit Cove Station's mixed cropping and predominantly Merino sheep enterprise with some crossbred lambs."
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The 58 May/June 2020-drop rams catalogued averaged 101kg when weighed on July 27.
Repeat volume buyers were MA Hannaford, Apsley, Vic, who bought eight rams to $2000, averaging $1275. Rock N Roll Merinos, Wynarka, bought four rams to $2000 twice, averaging $1700, and Keith Nutt, Orroroo, bought four to $1600, averaging $1200.
Nutrien Bordertown were the selling agents, and sale auctioneer Richard Miller said the sale offered excellent value for money.
"The rams are backed with very good ASBVs for high growth and fleece weight with good carcase and fat data," he said.
"The sale was underpinned by a couple of repeat volume buyers that know the reputation of the Callowie rams. COVID certainly affected the sale with Victorian buyers unable to attend."
Callowie principal Richard Halliday was pleased to see regular clients securing good quality young rams that offered value for money.
"The rams catalogued had sound data and were productive sheep," he said.
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