Babirra's top price ram heading to the West Coast after Dohne stud purchase

Stud interest helped to boost the results at the Babirra Dohne and Poll Merino ram sale at Stansbury on Tuesday.

The top price $2800 ram was a Dohne that was knocked down to Elders Minlaton agent Adam Pitt on behalf of the Holmes family, Hillview Dohne stud, Streaky Bay.

It was offered at lot 20 and weighed 96 kilograms, had an eye muscle depth of 40 millimetres and 6.5 carcase fat.

Its fleece measurements were 15.4 micron, 2.9 standard deviation, 19pc coefficient of variation and 99.7 per cent comfort factor.

The Hillview stud also purchased another ram at $2000.

Babirra principal Craig Farrow said it was pleasing to see the stud interest at the top-end of the sale.

"We had several other studs interested in that (top price) Dohne," he said.

The Mt Alma Dohne stud from Coonalpyn was the underbidder on the top price ram.

Mr Farrow said he was also happy with how the rams presented coming off the back of challenging conditions.

"Considering how tough the year was, we're very happy with how the rams turned out," he said.

"The sheep are looking really good for size and weight."

The second-highest price ram - another Dohne - sold to return clients Sunnyvale Props, Eden Valley.

Knocked down at $2400, the ram weighed 94kg, with fat score of 7 and 42 EMD. Its fleece was 18.2M, 3.5 SD, 19.2pc CV and 99.9CF.

Volume buyer on the Dohnes was pastoral and return client MS&SA Jackson, Broken Hill, with 15 at $1000.

Taking home the top price Poll Merino at $2200, and not too far away to Yorketown, was long-time client Paul Preuss.

Mr Preuss said he had been buying from Babirra for years because they were proven performers.

"Size-wise they're very good, wool-wise they're very good - they're pretty much all that you want in a ram," he said.

"They're nice, big, bulky sheep with plenty of wool on them."

The top price Poll Merino ram weighed 105.5kg, with fat score of 6.5 and 41 EMD. Its fleece was 18.3M, 2.4 SD, 13.4pc CV and 99.8CF.

It was Babirra's 64th year of selling Poll Merinos and 24th year of Dohnes.

All the rams in the sale were May-shorn and spring-drops.

Overall, the Farrow family sold 25 Dohnes from 30 offered, averaging $1248 - a slight rise on last year's $1176.

In the Poll Merino offering, seven out of 22 were sold for an average of $1171.

Babirra principal Lynda Farrow said this year's sale would be the last spring-drop offering.

"Next year they'll be replaced with hoggets as we cut back our September/October drops," she said.

The sale was conducted jointly by Nutrien and Elders, with Tom Penna auctioneering.