Strong clearance rate exceeds expectations for Kedleston Park Merino stud

Calivil Merino stud Kedleston Park achieved a strong clearance at its annual sale on Friday, despite stud co-principal John Humbert's concerns about recent dry conditions.

Mr Humbert said he was very pleased that 36 of the 40 rams sold, although the top price was back on last year's top of $20,000.

"The clearance rate was my biggest worry, and it exceeded my expectations," Mr Humbert said.

"The dry conditions, and plus there have been a lot of ewes sold, meant people couldn't afford to keep all their sheep.

"There wouldn't have been a lot of ewes sold, barring the dry conditions."

Two rams sold for $4000 at this year's sale, Lot 3 and Lot 32, with a sale average of $2371.

Nutrien studstock specialist Nick Farley, Bendigo, said Garry Griffin, Raywood, bought Lot 3, while Lot 32 went to G & M Heywood, Everton.

"Lot 3 was a big, dual-purpose, bold, heavy crimping sheep with some real wool cut," he said.

"For lot 32, they used a bit of Trigger Vale semen, so it was high growth, high fat, high clean fleece weight, a real dual-purpose ram.

"It's been a pretty tough season, but the rams presented very well."

Lot 3 was sired by Kedleston Park 210070, which sold for $32,000 in September 2022.

The ram had an 18.4 micron fleece, a standard deviation (SD) of 3.0, a coefficient of variation (CV) of 16 and a comfort factor of 99.7 per cent.

His yearling weight (YWT) was 9.93 kilograms.

The ram had a yearling eye muscle depth (YEMD) of -1.48 and a yearling fat (YFat) of -1.10.

He was in the top 5pc for yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW) with a measurement of 36.95.

Lot 32 was by Trigger Vale 200081 and had an 18.4 micron fleece, a 3.1 SD, 16.6 CV and CF of 99.9pc.

His YCFW was 38.16, YWT was 9.44, YEMD was 3.40 and YFat was 1.55.

The ram was also in the top 5pc for YCFW.

Kedleston Park was presented with the grand champion fleece ribbon, the pinnacle award in the Australian Fleece Competition, at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo in July.

Mr Humbert said he felt the success in Bendigo attracted some new buyers to the sale.

"There was a mixture of new and existing clients," he said.

"It may have given the new clients confidence to buy, for instance, if they were interested in high-quality fleeces, as well as the mutton side of it."

The two top-priced rams had good wool cutting ability and meat attributes.

Mr Farley said the sale was supported by local buyers, and several from Avoca, Horsham and Hamilton.

A stud ram went to the Benalla area, with the rest going to commercial producers.