Stud record price set at North Cowie Poll Merino and Merino sale on YP

The Murdoch family's 38^th annual on-property North Cowie Poll Merino and Merino sale set a record for the stud, with the top-priced ram selling for $8000.

This was well up on last year's top of $3500.

The Poll Merino was sired by GP 17, which the stud purchased from Glenlea Park in 2022.

North Cowie principal Joe Murdoch said it was one of, if not the best, ram the stud had ever produced.

It was purchased by Cousins Merino Services' Josh Cousins, on behalf of the Hull family's Minta stud at Mount Cooper.

Mr Cousins said the top-priced ram ticked a lot of boxes as a stud sire, with excellent conformation and good, crimpy wool.

"It's a very well-balanced ram, very correct, with good nourishment and style," he said.

All the rams in the sale were April/May 2024-drop and February shorn.

The top-priced ram weighed in at 104 kilograms, with eye muscle depth of 41.8 millimetres and fat depth of 8.4mm.

Its fleece measurements were 21.4 for micron, a standard deviation of 3.8, coefficient of variation of 17.9 and a comfort factor of 99.1 per cent.

All up, in the main auction 66 rams were sold out of 79 offered, for an average of $1616, well up on last year's $1086.

There were 50 rams sold in the mini auction out of 50 offered, for a top of $1000 and average of $918.

The top-priced Merino went to regular buyers, the Gutsche family, Yorketown.

Philip Gutsche labelled the rams coming from the stud as a "class act".

"They've got good frame and good structure, with nice, crimpy, stylish wool," he said.

The top-priced Merino was sired by HB 100, which was purchased in 2023, in partnership with the Barloo Merino stud in Western Australia, for $35,000, from the WA stud Angenup.

It weighed 114kg, with 42.5mm EMD and 6.3mm fat score.

The ram's wool measured 20.3M, 3.2 SD, 15.7 CV and 99.7pc CF.

The volume buyer was far and away the Hilder family, Wirryilka, taking 79 rams back to Broken Hill with them.

The family has been buying from North Cowie almost from the start of their sales, going back 37 years.

Nick Hilder said they kept coming back year after year for the reason the rams were proven performers and did well in their area.

The sale was conducted jointly by Nutrien and Elders, with Andrew Wilson and Tony Wetherall auctioneering respectively.

Mr Wetherall said North Cowie offered a terrific lineup of rams, typifying the modern Merino of today.

"They display the modern day Merino traits, with good carcase, wool and cutting ability," he said.

"It was great to see an $8000 top price."

Mr Wilson said the sale was well supported, particularly by pastoral clients.

"The top end sold extremely well but they needed to because the quality was there," he said.

"It's a great result for the Murdoch family."