Genetic investment paying off for Sharlu Park with average, clearance improvement
Sharlu Park Merino Stud enjoyed a lift in both clearance and average at its annual on-property ram sale, with continued genetic investment paying dividends for the Truro stud.
Stud principal Andrew Saegenschnitter said their polled rams in particular had "improved out of sight" thanks to the genetic influence of a Rices Creek ram they bought for $52,000 at the Adelaide Show ram sale, in partnership with Bradfield, Mannanarie, in 2022.
Mr Saegenschnitter said topping last year's Adelaide Ram Sale, selling a sire for $23,000, may have also translated to a bit more interest.
"It's hard to say but it may have because that was the first year we had progeny out of that (Rices Creek) ram," he said.
"People could have seen that and thought we'd like to put a bit into our own flock.
"The Rices Creek sire we bought a few years ago has certainly improved our Polls out of sight and we've had plenty of positive feedback about our rams have changed after buying that."
In the wash up, Sharlu Park sold 48 of 52 Poll Merino and Merino rams to a sale high of $5000 twice and a healthy average of $1694.
Even with a reduced offering, the stud sold more rams than 2024, when they sold 41 of 70 to a high of $4400 and average of $1658.
"We were happy to clear most of them at a pretty good average. We had a few new faces and plenty of return buyers," Mr Saegenschnitter said.
Of the 12 Merinos offered in the lineup, 11 sold, averaging $1273.
The two sale-topping rams were both snapped up by the same buyers - Ben and Alana Schiller, B Schiller Livestock, Australia Plains.
The Schillers main enterprise is a lamb feedlot, in which they finish both Merino and crossbred lambs. They run a Merino ewe flock with some mated to Merino rams and the others to Suffolk sires.
Mr Schiller had his sights firmly set on a few particular rams and was happy to bid up to secure them.
"We're looking for a heavy wool cutter, with around that 18 micron wool, and just a ram with good confirmation and that is dual purpose," he said.
Their Lot 3 purchase - WR24015 - weighed in at 108 kilograms and carried an 18.9 micron fleece, with 2.6 standard deviation, 13.7 coefficient of variation, 99.9 per cent comfort factor and a greasy fleece weight of 7.5kg.
Lot 23 was heavier again at 120kg, carrying a 19.2 micron fleece, with 3.5 SD, 16.2 CV and 99.4pc CF.
The Schillers bought three rams in total, averaging $4733.
Volume buyers included PM Schiller, through Nutrien Eudunda, buying five rams at an average of $1080.
Zaroma Pty Ltd, Port Kenny, took four rams back to the Eyre Peninsula, averaging $1150, while Cousins Merino Services snapped up four, averaging $1125.
A further four buyers bought three apiece.
Nutrien and Elders conducted the auction, with Gordon Wood and Tony Wetherall the auctioneers and Nutrien the duty agent.
