WA stud parts ways with one of its stud reserves after accepting good offer

WA Merino genetics changed hands during private negotiations at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale at Katanning last week.

The event hosts some of WA's best Merino and Poll Merino stud sires and sale rams set for the upcoming 2025 ram selling season, with private sales common between breeders each year.

The Campbell family's Coromandel stud, Gairdner, parted ways with one of its stud reserves when it accepted a $10,000 offer for its services.

The Poll Merino sire, Coromandel 230139, was purchased in partnership between the Wise family's Wililoo stud, Woodanilling and the Blight family's Seymour Park stud, Highbury.

The June 2023-drop regulation March shorn ram was sired by a Glenlea Park 180030 son Navanvale 210265 which was purchased by the Coromandel stud in 2022.

The 98kg ram placed fifth in the extensive March shorn medium wool ram class at this year's Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Bendigo, Victoria.

It scanned 36mm eye muscle depth and 4.5mm fat, with wool tests of 20.2 micron, 3.3 SD, 16.1 CV, 73.2 per cent yield and 99.4pc comfort factor.

Coromandel stud principal Michael Campbell said they identified the ram early as a future stud sire.

"It represents our breeding objectives with its soft white wool and dual purpose frame and we will retain some semen," Mr Campbell said.

He said the ram would be part of the 2025 Yardstick Sire Evaluation.

Speaking on behalf of the partnership, Wililoo stud co-principal Rick Wise said the Coromandel ram was a great opportunity to inject a new polled bloodline into their breeding program.

"The ram has overall balance, is structurally sound, is well covered with rich soft wool and has a good soft, sirey muzzle," Mr Wise said.

"It's a fresh bloodline for our stud to consolidate its quality.

"We are not chasing anything specific from him, we are happy where he is at and if he breeds consistently, we will be happy."

Another stud reserve to find a new home through private negotiations was a full wool Poll Merino ram from the Patterson family's Woolkabin stud, Woodanilling.

The May 2023-drop, four-tooth, regulation August shorn sire was purchased by the Glover family's Mallibee stud, Wannamal, for $4500.

The upstanding ram was AI-bred by Wallaloo Park 226 and recorded wool tests of 19.8 micron, 3.1 SD, 20.2 CV and 99.1pc comfort factor.

And it also caught the judges eye at this year's Wagin Woolorama when it was sashed the champion fine wool Poll Merino ram.

The sale marked the first Woolkabin sire purchase for the Mallibee stud and buyer Roger Glover said they were 'trying something different' with the new genetics.

"It's a new bloodline for us, a very good wool sheep that is square and structurally very good," Mr Glover said.