BORDERTOWN'S Kiandra Poll Merino stud enjoyed a massive lift in average at its 26th annual sale on Thursday with buyers chasing rams with high ranking Australian Sheep Breeding Values on the Sheep Genetics database.
Stud principals Ryan and Sarah Kluska have been working hard on a balance of high, early growth, fleece weight and carcase traits and this year it came together with 65 of 70 rams topping at $12,000 and averaging $2938- up nearly $1200 on 2020's result.
NSW stud breeder Max Edwards, GullenGamble, Wellington, saw the stud's 2020 drop rams consistently appearing in his Sheep Genetics database search prior to the sale so decided to investigate further.
His first choice was lot 1- a 19.9 micron ram with a post weaning weight in the top few per cent of all Merinos recorded at 9.7 and yearling clean fleece weight in the top 10pc at 29.3 which he paid the $12,000 sale high for, bidding over the phone.
The April 2020-drop son of Wallaloo Park 180026 also had a yearling eye muscle depth of +1.2 and yearling fat of 0.5.
Mr Edwards said lot 1, Kiandra 200013, had an "outstanding shape and structure and plenty of stylish, high yielding wool".
"We thought he was a really well balanced sheep with great genetics behind him," he said.
"We expect he will have a great impact within GullenGamble Poll Merinos as we keep pushing forward chasing that balance of carcase and wool."
GullenGamble also bought lot 46 which had a strong maternal pedigree, out of one of the stud's best ewes - a daughter of Poll Boonoke 338. They paid $6000 for the 19.2M ram.
Lot 6- another son of Wallaloo Park 180026- made the $11,000 second highest price selling to the Ric and Gail, Matt and Rachel Ridgway, Ridgway stud, Kulkami.
The July 2020 drop had an even higher Pwt of 10 and Ywt of 12.7 than the sale topper and was in the top 5pc for both MP+ and DP+ indexes at 184 and 205.
The Eyre Peninsula was strongly represented among the 37 registered bidders, including Wheare Holdings and Goldmine Hills Farms, Lock, who secured eight rams to $6800, averaging $4050.
Karwin Nominees, Field, were another heavy hitter with six rams to $4400, averaging $3350 and PA&LM Kammermann, Cleve, took home five rams to $3400, averaging $2920.
Mr Kluska said the sale was "everything he could have hoped for".
"Through our breeding values we attracted more buyers so that gave us the big lift (in average) with more people chasing the good data rams," he said.
Mr Kluska said they had a couple of "impact sires" which had lifted their data.
"The balance of Pwts, eye muscle, fat and fleece weights is what the top ones that made the best money were," he said.
"Our aim has been early growth, an eye muscle figure of 1 and fat of 0.5 but I think we will be at 2's soon."
Quality Livestock auctioneer David Whittenbury said the sale averaged $600-$700 above his pre-sale expectations boosted by six to eight new buyers and strong stud interest.
"We catalogued a bit differently this time, not really top to bottom but how we thought people would buy and that was how it worked out," he said.
"Ryan's direction changed five or six years ago and this is the culmination of that rebuilding phase.
"They were well bred and well performance recorded rams with good white wools."
Quality Livestock were the sole selling agents.
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