Top rams from Yarrawonga bound for Tasmania as buyers focus on wool traits
Buyers were chasing wool traits and early growth at Yarrawonga Merino and Poll Merino ram sale at Harden on Monday, September 15.
At the fall of the hammer, 273 of 278 rams sold to a top of $23,000 and an average of $3646 to buyers from NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.
The top-priced ram was Yarrawonga 240030, which sold for $23,000 to Rockford Pty Ltd, Bothwell, Tasmania, via Wool Solutions, Western Junction, Tasmania.
The PP ram, by Roseville Park 210059, had a fibre diameter of 18.3 micron with 3.2 micron standard deviation, a coefficient of variation of 16.4 per cent, and a 99pc comfort factor.
He ranked in the top 5pc on the fine wool (FW) and wool production (WP) indexes with figures of +200 and +194 respectively and top 10pc on the sustainable Merino index with a figure of +158.
The ram also ranked in the top 20pc for yearling fibre diameter (YFD) and adult fibre diameter (AFD) with figures of -2.1 and -2.4, respectively, and adult clean fleece weight (ACFW) at +24.1.
Buying for Rockford, Damien Meaburn, Wool Solutions, said the ram had growth and stretch and would be an outcross for the operation.
Steve Phillips, Yarrawonga, said the ram, from the Yarrawonga Plus family, was a big, really good sheep.
"He's got a great set of data with positive fat and muscle and very good wool figures," he said.
Rockford also secured the second top-priced ram, Yarrawonga 240628, for $22,000.
The PP ram, by Yarrawonga 210827, was 18.3 micron with 2.9 micron SD, 15.7pc CV, and 99.4pc CF.
He ranked in the top 1pc for yearling greasy fleece weight (YGFW) and yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW) with figures of +43.4 and +42.6.
The ram also ranked in the top 5pc for ACFW with a figure of +32.4.
Mr Meaburn said the ram was the best-skinned ram he had seen since buying the top-priced ram RP11-11 from Roseville Park in 2011.
"You don't see special stud sires like that anymore," he said.
Mr Meaburn said it was his deep crimping, rich wool and skin that stood out.
"He is a pure purple Mandalay Merino from the John Williams era," he said.
Mr Meaburn said both rams would go into Rockford's large-scale commercial operation in Tasmania's Central Highlands which had purchased from Yarrawonga previously.
He said the core of the business was wool, with the flock averaging 17 to 18 micron, along with selling surplus sheep.
Mr Phillips said Yarrawonga 240628 was the highest price paddock ram the stud had ever sold.
"He's a real impact stud ram with beautiful skin and lustrous wool on him," he said.
"He's the old-fashioned sort of stud ram with a lot of purity and he'll breed well.
"He's got a good set of data as well."
Two rams sold for the equal third top-price of $18,000, including the first lot of the day, Yarrawonga 243312, which sold to Lees Family Partnership, Bookham.
By Yarrawonga 210898 the PP ram ranked in the top 5pc for ACFW with a figure of +30.3 and top 10pc for YGFW and YCFW with figures of +29.7 and +31.3, respectively.
He was 18.2 micron with 2.5 micron SD, 13.3pc CV and 99.7pc CF.
The other ram to reach $18,000 was Yarrawonga 241003 which sold to Overlea Holdings, Corowa.
The Merino ram was 17.8 micron with a 2.6 micron SD, 14.5pc CV and 99.4 CF.
There were several volume buyers of the sale including Egerton Pastoral Co, via Elders Cooma, who purchased 22 rams for an average of $3000.
Mr Phillips said they were very pleased with the sale result with strong support from repeat clients, as well as many new buyers.
He said buyers were after rams with good wool traits, along with early growth which showed in the draft being the heaviest on average despite a tough season.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions and Elders, with auctioneers Paul Dooley, Paul Dooley Pty Ltd, Tamworth, and Rick Power, Nutrien Stud Stock sharing the rostrum.
