Southern ram sales kick off strong with a full clearance at Pastora Poll Merinos

One of the first ram sales to be held in the south of the state has started off strong with Pastora Poll Merinos, Lockhart, achieving a full clearance at its on-property sale on Wednesday, September 3.

Selling all 103 rams offered, the sale reached a top of $3800 for an average $2368, with eight new buyers stepping in to support the program.

Rams sold far and wide, destined as south as Geelong, Vic, throughout the Riverina and Goulburn and Cowra.

The top-priced ram, Pastora 240716, who sold for $3800, was purchased by Duncan Clowes, Millthorpe, who returned to the sale after having a several-year break.

Sired by Pastora 220439, the homozygous polled ram measured a fibre diameter of 16.3 micron, standard deviation of 2.7 micron, and a coefficient of variation of 16.2 per cent, with a comfort factor of 99.7pc and a greasy fleece weight of 118pc.

He also recorded a yearling fibre diameter (YFD) Australian Sheep Breeding Value (ASBV) in the top 20pc with a value of -1.9, while weighing 114 kilograms.

There were three rams purchased for the second top price of $3600, the first being Pastora 240572, purchased by NG and Al Stoll, Mangoplah.

The twin-born homozygous polled ram recorded a fibre diameter of 16.7 micron with a coefficient of variation of 16.2cpc, with a comfort factor of 99.7pc and a greasy fleece weight of 131pc.

He ranked in the top 10pc for YFD at -2.6, the top 30pc with a Sustainable Merino index of 148, and the top 20pc for his wool production and fine wool indexes of 179 and 190, respectively.

The next equal second top-priced ram, Pastora 240673, 107kg, was purchased by Lachie Anderson, Meredith, near Geelong, Vic, for $3600.

He recorded a fibre diameter of 16.9 micron, with a greasy fleece weight of 107pc.

By Pastora 200375, the ram ranked in the top 5pc for his YFD with -3.2, and well as his fine wool index with a value of 203, as well as being in the top 10pc for his sustainable Merino index and wool production index, with values of 157 and 191, respectively.

The final equal second top-price ram was Pastora 240048, secured by CM and R Morton, Stockinbingal.

The ram was 17 micron with a 100pc comfort factor and a coefficient of variation of 14.1pc.

Sired by Pastora 2000980, the young ram was in the top 10pc for his YFD figure of -2.6, while ranking in the top 20pc for yearling clean fleece weight and adult clean fleece weight, with +30 and +25.9, respectively.

He also ranked in the top 10pc for wool production and fine wool indexes.

The Stockinbingal producers also secured an additional nine rams to average $2560.

Other volume buyers included RR and HJ Patey, Boree Creek, who took home eight rams for a top of $3000 to average $2650 throughout the auction, with an additional seven rams post-sale.

Glen Idol Pastoral Company, Barmedman, secured five rams during the sale for an average of $1640, as well as taking home another six rams after the auction.

Pastora stud principal Tim Westblade said he was happy with the result.

"We were happy there was good quality rams available for a reasonable price," he said.

"We're pleased with the sale and pleased with the business it's created outside with the sales afterwards."

The sale was conducted by Bluechip Livestock, Temora, and Elders Wagga Wagga, with Rayn Bajada as auctioneer.