AFTER being the underbidder on the first ram of the sale, Kangaroo Island sheep producer Dale Paxton said he wasn't missing out again when lot 8 rolled around during the Flairdale Poll Merino ram sale in Cooke Plains on Monday, paying the sale top price of $7000.
Mr Paxton liked the 92.5-kilogram ram for its strong wool figures and positive meat traits.
"He was one that ticked both boxes - well rounded," he said.
The April 2021-drop son of Mumblebone-180088 had an 18.9-micron fleece with 14.8 coefficient of variation, 2.8 standard deviation and 99.7 per cent comfort factor, while its ASBVS were also in the top 10pc for post-weaning weight (7.3) and weaning rate (0.2).
A wool classer by trade, Mr Paxton said most of his selections had fleece around the 18.5M mark, with low wool figures of importance.
"We bought rams that we hope will fine up our flock a bit, with good fleece weights," he said.
"We prefer Wallaloo Park bloodlines, but we also like bloodlines with good muscling, so we bought a mix."
The Paxtons bought 12 rams for their Merino flock at Vivonne Bay, averaging $3017.
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Flairdale stud principal Matt Lehmann said the top ram had very good muscle and growth rates.
"We had thought he would do alright when we penned him," he said.
The ram in lot 1 made the sale's second-highest price of $6800, bought by last year's top price ram buyers GA&JL Buchanan, Karoonda.
The April 2021-drop ram, weighing 92kg, was in the top 5pc for post-weaning weight (8) and breech cover (-0.8) and top 10pc for Merino Production Plus (181.5) and Dual Purpose Plus (183.6).
The Wallaloo Park-172003 son had a 18.2M fleece had 18CV, 3.3SD and 99.2CF.
The Buchanans bought a second ram at lot 9 for $6600, which also had strong ASBV meat traits, including top 5pc for PWT (8.3) and YWT (11.1).
Graeme and Hayden Price, Ben Nevis Farms, near Ararat, Vic, also returned to bid strongly on their nine lots, averaging $2422, which they plan to run with their younger ewes.
Graeme - a "wool man" - said he made his selections based on sight first, so was glad to be back at the sale in person, after border restrictions forced them to buy through AuctionsPlus last year.
They have been buying at Flairdale for more than a decade, saying the genetics are "well proven".
"Our descendants used to buy from the Lehmann descendants, so we know that they do well in our country, especially the Wallaloo Park genetics they use, and the stud's strong meat focus is also important," Graeme said.
Overall, the Lehmann family sold 71 rams out of the 80 offered, averaging $2430.
While the result didn't emulate the records achieved in 2021, Mr Lehmann was still very happy post-sale, with a strong average and good clearance.
"It was also good to see a few new buyers operating, while every buyer registered (24) went home with a ram," he said.
New buyer Northdale Props, Malinong, bought two rams, averaging $3200, while repeat buyers Starkey Farms, Sanderston, also big strongly for their three lots, averaging $3100.
Elders and Nutrien conducted the sale, with Laryn Gogel and Richard Miller the auctioneers.
