Pick of the Bunyara Poll Merino ram catalogue heads to Tungkillo

Regular Bunyara Poll Merino ram buyers from Tungkillo featured heavily again during this year's sale at Moculta, bidding up to $6250 for the pick of the catalogue.

AMP Farms Trust, Tungkillo, bought six Bunyara rams, four of those along the front row at the Moculta sale.

Bunyara principal Ian Koch said he was happy enough with the result, having dialled back on rams offered, knowing there likely wouldn't be as much demand due to seasonal conditions.

In the auction breakdown, 42 of 58 rams sold to a sale high of $6250 and averaged $1494.

Last year, in Bunyara's 40th anniversary sale, 47 of 70 rams sold to an average of $1922 and top of $7000.

Mr Koch said slightly less demand from some long-term clients gave others the chance to secure quality rams at a reasonable price.

He said the $6250 ram was his pick of the catalogue.

"It was a very complete ram, very square, carrying long-stapled and well-nourished heavy cutting fleece," Mr Koch said.

"The rams presented well this year. We knew we weren't going to be selling the volume of rams this year so were selecting throughout the year, and that made managing them easier."

Buyer of the $6250 ram, Alan Lintern, AMP Farms Trust, Tungkillo, said the ram was destined to go back over Merino ewes.

"We've got a self-replacing flock and have been buying from Bunyara for plenty of years," he said.

"We might even try and breed some rams from him, we just liked him from the moment we saw him."

In total, the Linterns bought six rams from Bunyara, with Alan saying their wool type was just one of their attractive qualities.

"They're very particular with their wool, and they're easy care sheep," he said.

"Big free-growing, big bodied sheep that cut plenty of wool."

As well as the 1500 Merino ewes, the Linterns also run a Suffolk stud and are in the process of winding down a Border Leicester stud.

Nutrien Fawcett Livestock Mount Pleasant and Elders conducted the Bunyara sale.