POLL Merino prices were up an average of more than $500 at the O'Brien stud, Kyancutta, sale last week, with a top price $1000 shy of 2021.
Held at the Wudinna Showgrounds on Thursday last week, the sale had buyers from across SA and interstate, via AuctionsPlus.
The stud offered 97 Poll Merino rams with a clearance of 89, a top of $9000 and an average of $2587.
The top price title was given to Lot 4, which sold to Kurrabi Park Poll Merino Stud, Koppio, for $9000.
It had Australian Sheep Breeding Values of 7.2 for post-weaning weight, 10.1 for yearling body weight and 18.7 for yearling staple length with a 18.4 micron fleece and a body weight of 119kg.
Its twin, Lot 3, sold for $7800 to Bilyana Park, Kyancutta, for its ASBVs of 9.5YWT and 19.7 YSL and 18.1M fleece.
O'Brien stud principal Darren O'Brien said the sale went extremely well with many clients putting selection pressure on their micron, positive fat depth and eye muscle depth figures.
"Offering rams which are non-mulsed and ASBVs for breech wrinkle and cover allows clients to consider this option," he said.
"The sale was very micron dominant with clients chasing lower microns.
"The top price ram had very soft wool, a big wide body and was a fairly plain animal.
"He was a twin so that maybe pulled him back a bit in looks but he'll breed better than a single."
Keeping Go, Kyancutta, bought 10 Poll Merino sires with a focus on on lowering micron, taking home Lot 44 for $3800, and paying $3600 twice for Lots 7 and 122.
Omaroo Ag, Warramboo, bought nine sires to a top of $3000.
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Strong support for Dohne Merinos was also shown at the sale, with the breed reaching a top of $3200.
O'Brien Dohne offered 39 Dohne and 21 half Dohne-crosses, selling 46 to a top of $3200 with an average of $1543.
Sold to Bilyana Park, Kyancutta, Lot 125 was knocked down for the top price for its Australian Sheep Breeding Values of 8.3 for post-weaning weight, 10.6 for yearling body weight, 1.4 for yearling eye muscle depth and a weaning rate of 0.22.
TJ Patterson, Streaky Bay, was the volume buyer, buying 16 Dohne and Dohne influenced sires for a top of $2200 twice, with the rams to be used twice a year under their mating system.
Skyden Farms, Kyancutta, bought nine sires to a top of $2600 for Lot 50, a high growth Dohne-cross that has been and will be used in stud in future. They also secured Lot 66, a Dohne-cross sire that was all meat and growth, weighing in at 145.5 kilograms, for $2000.
"Their sale team took another leap forward in both presentation and performance data with their buyers really in tune with buying from ASBVs as well as visual assessment," Nutrien stud stock's Gordon Wood said.
Nutrien Ag Solutions conducted the sale with Mr Wood the auctioneer.
