Trefusis Merino and Poll Merino top rams sell to Victoria at 40th sale
The Trefusis Merino and Poll Merino ram sale held at Ross, Tasmania, on Friday saw some of the country's top fine wools head across the Bass Strait to Victoria.
It was the well-known stud's 40th on-farm ram sale, a special milestone for stud principal Georgina Wallace.
A volume buyer from the south-west, a repeat client of the Tasmanian stud, took home 20 rams, a mix of Poll Merino and Merino stock.
David Bain, 'St Enochs', Stockyard Hill, said his new rams were perfectly suited to his operation.
He typically bred sheep with a micron of 17-18.5, with a few finer again.
"They suit our micron type that we're after for our sheep," he said.
Mr Bain said the Trefusis rams, bred in the Tasmanian midlands, were well able for the climate of south-west Victoria.
"Their wool holds up well and is pretty weather proof," he said.
"We always get nice bright wool out of them.
"They're healthy sheep."
Mr Bain said his stud classer Andrew Calvert picked out and bought the rams and he was very happy with the draft.
They would be joined with ewes in March as part of his 13,000-head sheep operation.
Overall, the Trefusis Merino and Poll Merino ram sale saw 52 rams sold from the 65 offered for an average of $1715 and to a top of $4000.
This was an improvement on the 2023 sale which saw 44 out of 50 rams sold for an average of $1527 and top of $2800.
The top-priced ram was also bought by a repeat client, R.V Bowden & Sons, Weasel Plains Merino Stud, Bothwell, Tasmania.
The ram, Lot 1, tag 230152, was sired by RP 190072 and out of an Elite Trefusis ET ewe.
The July 2023-drop ram was 102.5 kilograms and had a fleece which measured 16.1 micron, with a coefficient variation of 16.4 and comfort factor of 100 per cent.
Ms Wallace said the top ram was a stand out and was pleased with the sale's overall result.
"We've just celebrated our 40th on property ram sale which is quite a milestone," she said.
"I was reasonably pleased with the results given the current climate with the wool market and poor seasonal conditions across many areas of Tasmania and the mainland."
She said much needed rain in the week leading up to the sale had helped lift prices and highlighted that the sale average was up $200 on the 2023 average.
The sale offered just about half and half Poll Merino and Merino rams and Ms Wallace said the former was continuing to gain market share.
"The Poll Merinos in the offering sold very well which is proving that they are more popular
as time goes on," she said.
"They are earlier maturing sheep that are dual purpose for both meat and wool and are much easier care, which gives clients options with multiple uses and income streams.
"I was very pleased to see many repeat clients as well as some new ones."
Other volume buyers at the sale included Brambeltye, Conara, Tas, W & C Von Bibra, Ross, Tas, and the Hamleth Trust, Avoca, Tas.
All three buyers took home six rams each.
