Orrie Cowie celebrates 58th sale with $5000 top price

At Warooka, the sale offered a strong lineup of 90 Poll Merinos, selling 82 to a top of $5000, averaging $1529, while a smaller run of Merinos were also up for auction, with 10 offered and sold, to a top of $3200, averaging $1750.

Sired by Midnight Oil20, the $5000 top price ram was snapped up by long-term buyers Gavin and David Reade, Curramulka, who have used Orrie Cowie bloodlines for 40 years.

The April 2022-drop ram had fleece measurements of 19.6 micron and 3.1 standard deviation with a coefficient variation of 15.7, and comfort factor of 99.5 per cent.

The 121-kilogram ram had carcase data with a 42-millimetre eye muscle depth and 8.1 fat depth.

The long-term relationship between stud principal John Dalla and Gavin Reade has helped the family decide on which rams to select.

"John does our mulesing and sometimes, he knows more about our sheep than we do," Gavin said.

The Reade's run about 1000 Poll Merino ewes and also breed a few rams.

"John will sort though our ewe hoggets and select the best types, so we can select the rams which suit the best," Gavin said.

"This particular ram's feet and shoulders stood out in the lineup, as did its wool quality.

"About 20 years ago, our wool was 23-24 micron and since then, it has reduced to about 19 micron, which is where we need it to be."

The Reade's bought three rams to $5000, averaging $3666.

The first two lots of the sale made the $4000 second-highest price, with TJ, WC&MJ Fiebig, Keith, snapping up lot one.

The King George son weighed 128kg with fleece measurements of 19.9M, 3SD, 15CV and 99.9pc CF. It also had a 43.8mm EMD and 8 for fat.

The other ram, also picked up by the Reade family, was sired by King George and weighed 120kg with 19.5M, 3.6SD,17.7CV and 99.3pc CF for its fleece measurements.

Sale volume buyer Calana Heights, KI, through Elders agent Alistair Keller, bought a solid team of 15 Poll Merino rams to $1600, averaging $1166.

Mr Keller also bought for a buyer in Winton, Qld, snapping up nine rams all at $1000.

As big supporters of the Orrie Cowie program, Mr Keller said they kept returning for the bright, white, well-nourished wool.

"These guys have been chasing these genetics for about a decade," he said.

They run a large-scale self-replacing commercial flock with a focus on wool and carcase.

"They source big plain sheep, with enough wool cut," Mr Keller said.

The rams will be used in November over select ewes.

Also operating strongly across the sale were LR Noll & Son, Wilmington, which bought six in total to $1200, averaging $1033, while Rock Glen Pastoral Trust, Stansbury, bought four to $2000, averaging $1300.

The top price Merino ram was secured by another long-term buyer, Bruce McCarthy, Yacka, who bought three to $3200, averaging $2466.

This ram weighed 105kg and its fleece measured 19.7M, 3SD, 15.5CV and 99.6pc CF. It also had 37mm EMD and 6 for fat.

Mr McCarthy also bought two Poll Merino rams to $2000, averaging $1900 and has used Orrie Cowie genetics for 15 years.

He runs about 1500 breeding ewes and operates on the horned lots because his good friends, the Reade family, buy most of the top price Poll Merinos at the sale.

"They get the top polls so I buy the top horns," he said.

"We selected the rams for the quality white wool - it must have white wool, with plenty of condition on a good, solid frame."

The rams will head out into the paddock in mid December with select ewes.

Honner Brothers, Elliston, operated strongly across the Merinos, buying four to $1500, averaging $1425, as well as snapping up two Poll Merinos to $1200, averaging $1100.

Orrie Cowie stud principal John Dalla was pleased with the good, solid sale.

"It was great to have the support, the top price was back a bit but it was to be expected with the way the markets are at the moment," he said.

"We have quite a few commercial clients which run a lot of sheep who supported the sale again this year."

Mr Dalla believed clients chased the value in cutting plenty of high-quality wool.

"They like a consistent line of poll sheep and to be able to maintain wool cut," he said.

At the end of the main sale, 27 White Suffolk prime lamb sires were also offered, with 18 sold to a top of $1300, for a $1027 average.

The top price ram was bought by MB Filmer, Warooka, who also secured another at $1100.

The top ram weighed 112kg and had 45.9mm EMD and 7.6 fat.

LR Noll & Son bought the highest number of White Suffolk rams, securing 11 in total all at $1000.

The sale was conducted by Elders Minlaton with Elders auctioneers Tony Wetherill and Tom Penna taking the bids.