Highest priced NSW rams sold in 2024 stud season revealed: The Last Lot

Established studs with proven breeding programs, strong client relationships and effective marketing strategies continued to thrive this ram sale season.

Quality genetics commanded premium prices, with producers recognising its importance in driving productivity and resilience in seasons ahead.

Progency with high weaning weights, structural soundness, and sought-after bloodlines were particularly in demand, achieving impressive results under the hammer.

To celebrate this, The Land has compiled a list of the highest-priced genetics sold by NSW studs at NSW sales.

While this list doesn't encompass the entire seed-stock sector, it provides a unique perspective on NSW ram sales, highlighting only the top-priced progeny.

Amarula 221391, Amarula Dorpers, Moree

Far western buyers Phil and Trish Palmer, Ivanhoe, cracked the half century for Amarula 221391, who was knocked down for $50,000, setting a new on-property record.

The June-2022 drop Amarula Flynn 187779 son was in hot demand with a starting bid of $4000 blown out of the water by a flurry of eager bidders.

He recorded Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) in the top 30 per cent of the breed for a birthweight at -0.5 and number of lambs weaned at 5pc.

"We purchased Amarula Flynn who is the father of the top-priced ram today a couple of years ago for $40,000 along with his other 2 sons last year," said return buyer Phil Palmer.

"We've now got the full genetic package out of Amarula Flynn."

Tattykeel ET 230158, Tattykeel Australian Whites, Black Springs

North-west stud Regal Australian White, Auburn Vale Station, Inverell, were the bidders to beat at the Tattykeel Australian White spring sale, taking home the top ram, Tattykeel ET 230158, for $50,000.

The April-drop ram by Tattykeel 211152 and out of Tattykeel 210241, weighed 129 kilograms at the time of auction.

The NSW Sheep Show Australian White reserve champion had also been used in the stud before sale.

Return buyer Dave Stewart, Regal Australian Whites, favoured the ram's power, thickness and depth.

"He's a real sire type. We're breeding sheep with doing-ability, plenty of carcase, and emphasising depth," he said.

Sheepmaster 230414, Sheepmaster Parent Stud, Woodstock

The inaugural NSW Sheepmaster Parent Stud sale hit a high with the sale of Sheepmaster 230414 to Western Australian buyers, sight unseen, for $40,000.

Tony and Jo Slattery, Twin Peaks, Gnowellen, WA, secured the April-2023 twin drop ram who had been heavily used in the stud.

He weighed 125kg at the time of auction and recorded a weaning weight at +9.17 and post-weaning weight at +15.02.

Mr Slattery said he had yet to see the ram in person, but had a sheep manager who had selected him along with former Sheepmaster Parent Stud principal Neil Garnett.

They chose the ram on his conformation, silky coat, and length. Once out of quarantine, the ram would be put with specially selected stud ewes, he said.

Felix 230417, Felix Rams, Greenethorpe

After an extensive bidding war, Victorian buyer Tim Jorgensen, Mertex Texel and White Suffolk sutd, Antwerp, secured top-priced ram Felix 230417 for $28,000.

Son of K20081, the June-2023 drop ranked in the top one per cent for postweaning eye muscle depth, terminal carcase production and lamb eating quality indexes, as well as the top 5pc for postweaning weight.

First time buyer Mr Jorgensen said he was a "good White Suffolk type" and would probably be used in his stud's ET program.

Mr Jogensen runs about 400 stud White Suffolk ewes at his home-property, as well as commercial ewes on their other properties with about 4,500 head all up.

"I was looking for a higher end figured ram and it's hard to find one that's got good type and good on their legs," he said.

"I liked the look of their ram and he was out of one of their elite ewes."

Tattykeel 230014, Tattykeel Poll Dorsets, Black Springs

for a second time, Tattykeel Poll Dorsets hit a top of $25,000 for Tattykeel 230014 at their spring sale.

Following a successful year in the show ring, the supreme exhibit from both the Sydney Royal and the NSW Sheep Show at Dubbo, sold to return buyer Roger Wilkinson, Camborn Poll Dorsets, Pooncarie.

Sired by Tattykeel 200060 and out of Tattykeel 160882, the April drop 151kg ram scanned 66 millimetres eye muscle depth, 120mm eye muscle width, eye muscle area of 60.98 square centimetres, and 9mm fat.

Mr Wilkinson had not seen the ram in person prior to auction, but was impressed with his scans.

"I can't wait to see this ram. We've bought that many rams from them and we've never been disappointed," he said.

Tattykeel used the ram in the stud and also reserved to collect 200 semen doses.

"That's the only reason we were prepared to put the ram to auction," James Gilmore, Tattykeel, said.

"He'll have a huge influence on our stud. We'll probably have 50 live embryos on the ground in April next year by him.

"He's basically a keeper sheep, we just want to put him out to the public to get the top end of our genetics out there."

Richmond 230080, Richmond Merinos, Quandialla

Two interstate buyers were victorious in the bidding battle for Richmond 230080, who was knocked down for $24,000 at the Richmond Merinos spring sale.

Bradley Schroeder, Gunallo Poll Merinos, Pinaroo, SA, and Bruce Pengilly, Penrose Poll Merinos, Lort River, WA, secured the August-2023 drop ram.

Sired by Hill Padua 211050, he ranked in the top 5pc for yearling staple length at +25.1, and the top 10pc for post-weaning weight at +9.62, yearling weight at +11.85, and yearling eye muscle depth at +2.68.

Mr Scroeder said the ram ticked all the boxes and would increase the meat traits without sacrificing wool quality.

"The balance of the sheep and the data on him - he's great for growth, great for muscle, staple length and wool cut. "It's all your profit drivers in a ram," he said.

Mr Scroder said the price was higher than he expected but after travelling seven hours to see the ram, he had been determined to buy.

Richmond stud principal Trevor Ryan said he knew there would be plenty of interest but the top price exceeded his expectations.

"He's a very unique ram in a lot of ways, we were considering keeping him but we've got a couple of his brothers," he said.

"We'll be getting him collected for semen and using him in the stud ourselves."

Gooramma 230135, Gooramma Poll Dorset, Boorowa

A ram with "exception IMF and robust muscle" was knocked down for $23,000 at the Gooramma Poll Dorset spring sale.

Purchased by Lambpro, Holbrook, the Valma 200040 'Lyle' son, Gooramma 230135, weighed 134kg with a fat scan of 8mm, and eye muscle depth of 50.5 cmsq.

He was ranked second in Australia for eating quality with an index of 180.21.

The ram was used within the stud prior to sale, and they retained 50pc semen rights.

Lambpro stud principal Tom Bull said the program has been chasing rams with high marbling and muscle suitable for their export lamb market for the United States.

"Alot of our clients will supply lambs into the domestic markets, which are more and more grading for marbling," he said.

"With our Willowbend brand into the states which has a couple thousand lambs going through a week, we are chasing rams with high marbling, muscle, good meat yield and the rams we've bought ticked the box.

"We were one of the loosing bidders on his father, Lyle, who made $41,000.

"We bought a ram in Tasmania for $25,200 which is a half brother to this bloke and really the focus is they have good marbling and good muscle.

Mr Bull said there hadn't been any semen available from Lyle so the operation had invested in some sons with the aim for them to be used throughout the operations Poll Dorset and trading programs.

RP23-0062, Roseville Park Merino and Poll Merino, Dubbo

When Rodger Mathews, Borambil Merino and Poll Merino stud, Corowa, couldn't get RP23-0062 out of his mind, he knew he had to take home.

As such, Mr Mathews and his son Luke secured the ram for $22,000 at Roseville Park's spring sale, outbidding a crowd of eager buyers.

Son of PR19-0072 and out of RP19-1670, the then 103-kilogram, 16-month-old ram had a fat scan of 6.5 millimetres, eye muscle depth (EMD) of 34mm and Australian Sheep Breeding Values in the top 5 per cent of the breed for yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW) at +33.5.

He ranked in the top 10pc for a wool production (WP) index at +187 and the top 20pc for post-weaning weight (PWWT) at +8.8 and sustainable Merino index at +152.

The ram had a fibre diameter of 17.5 micron, 2.2 micron standard deviation, 12.7pc coefficient of variation and 99.8pc comfort factor.

"He has very-good figures and data, with a beautiful, square-shaped body and the purity in his wool is quite special," Rodger Mathews said.

"I had been watching him for a while and I hadn't changed my mind.

"[The wool] and type really suits our clients so that has been a very-big factor in our decision," Mr Mathews said.

He will have semen collected prior to joining at least 100 ewes in December.

Tattykeel Cupid AI 221592, Tattykeel Australian White, Black Springs

A son of the record-breaking $240,000 Tattykeel Platinum, sold to Western Australian buyers for $21,000 at the Tattykeel and Camden Valley southern NSW Australian White sale in February.

August-drop Tattykeel Cupid AI 221592 was purchased by Helen and Mark Norris, Bridgetown Australian White stud, Glennlynn.

Mr Noriss said the the stud had exclusively used Tattykeel genetics for the past decade, with a flock consisting of 1000 ewes.

"We've had good success in our stud, we've got good flock rams sales every year but it's just a matter of reinvesting in genetics every year, we've got the son of Platinum and a son of Remington," Mr Norris said.

"To have those first genetics appearing in WA through our stud, we're delighted."

Lachlan 230012, Lachlan Merinos, Forbes

An impact sire attracted bids from left, right and centre, hitting a top of $21,000 at the Lachlan Merinos on-property sale.

Donald and Will Grant, Bundabarrina, Collarenebri, secured the highly sought after Lachlan 230012.

ET bred by Wallaloo Park 210321, the autumn-2023 drop had ASBVs in the top 1pc for adult clean fleece weight, 5pc for yearling clean fleece weight and wool production, as well as the top 10pc for yearling fibre diameter and post weaning weight.

Mr Grant operates a mixed farm with 5000 head of Merino ewes. His family have bred their own Merino rams since the 1980s.

"He is a real impact sire with magnificent white wool, long staple and beautiful lock," he said.

"He has an incredible frame and muscle with a beautiful head to match. I love his presence, structure and wool cutting ability."

Mr Grant intends to use the ram over their flock in March 2025.

Mitch Rubie, Lachlan Merinos, said he had been a standout since he was a lamb.

"He comes from our top embryo transfer ewe that continues to breed good sheep," he said.

"His full sister was embryo transferred as an 11-month old ewe, gave eight embryos, and their lambs are dropping now. She's also rearing a lamb at 17-months old. We put him up because we know we've got his sister, but we've also collected semen to use in the stud."

Alfoxton 220271, Alfoxton Merinos, Armidale

In a private sale at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, Bogo Merinos, Cootamundra, purchased the 2024 Sydney Royal Tom Culley supreme junior Merino ram, Alfoxton 220271, for $30,000.

Son of $100,000 Glenlea Park 180173, with a dam side going back to Wallaloo Park Real Deal, the August shorn ram also won grand champion ram at the Hay Merino Sheep Show.

The purchase included full semen marketing rights and the stud had already been approached, Bogo Merinos general manager Matt Crozier said.

While Bogo had not used Alfoxton genetics before, Mr Crozier said the stud had used Glenlea Park blood in an artificial insemination program.

Alfoxton 220271 tested 19-micron fibre diameter with 2.8-micron standard deviation, 14.7 per cent coefficient of variation and 99.8pc comfort factor.

"Wool quality is really important to us - most of our clients are in quite high rainfall areas," Mr Crozier said.

AWN agent Scott Thrift, Narromine, facilitated the sale and said rams such as this were pretty hard to find.

Alfoxton stud principal Chris Clonan said the ram had already been used in an artificial insemination program at the stud.

Catch up on previous episodes:

• Highest priced NSW bulls sold in 2024 stud season revealed: The Last Lot
  
• Most influential NSW meat sheep studs in 2024 season revealed: The Last Lot
• Most influential NSW Merino studs in 2024 season revealed: The Last Lot
• Most influential NSW non-Angus studs in 2024 season revealed: The Last Lot
• Most influential NSW Angus studs in 2024 season revealed: The Land's Last Lot
• Sales belie wool market, buyers travel for best rams: The Land's Last Lot
• Dry out west but buyers prepared to pay for quality: The Land's Last Lot
• Top end stays strong, data proving a selling point: The Land's Last Lot
• Ram sales start well and yet more stud records: The Land's Last Lot
• Four different sales smash stud records: The Land's Last Lot episode two
• Catch up on studstock sale trends and results with The Land's Last Lot