Total clearance of 'consistent' rams at Mulloorie, increased offering decision pays off

After deciding not to hold two ram sales this season, the Mulloorie stud slightly increased their offering at Brinkworth on Monday, a decision that was well supported.

The Meyer family cleared all 90 Poll Merino and Merino rams they offered to a $5000 high, and increased their sale average by nearly $350 to post $1933.

Stud principal Paul Meyer was very pleased post-sale, especially the clearance, underpinned by a number of pastoral and South East clients in attendance.

"We didn't hold a sale at Tintinara this year, because of the season in that July period, so we decided to offer a few more here," he said.

"After that increase in average, I feel we did the right thing."

Both top price rams sold to interstate buyers.

On AuctionsPlus, repeat client DA&CI Rees, Gunneramby Merino and Poll Merino stud, via Ivanhoe, NSW, paid the $5000 in a sole purchase for lot 33 - the first Merino on offer in the shed.

Mr Meyer said David Rees chased rams with structure and plenty of wool and the 15-month-old Navanvale son "had all that".

It weighed 104 kilograms, and had a 43 millimetre eye muscle depth and 5mm fat depth, while its 21 micron fleece measured 2.1 standard deviation, 14.1 per cent coefficient of variation and 99.5pc comfort factor.

The sale's second-highest price of $4500 went to lot 3 - a Poll Merino ram by Mulloorie Elliott - also bought in a sole purchase by EL&JF Fletcher, Cooma, NSW, over the phone.

Mr Meyer said Jim Fletcher had seen the "safe" ram at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, Vic, which was also the reserve champion medium wool at the Hay Merino Sheep Show in NSW.

"He mainly chases finer wool rams, but was also looking for more meat, and this guy had good growth and width," he said.

The 26-month-old weighed 137kg and had a 44mm EMD and 8mm fat, while its 20.2M wool had 2.6SD, 13.1CV and 99.9pc CF.

Another return client, the Pluckrose family, Jamestown, paid the sale's third highest price of $4200 for a 15mo Nyowee Alf-blood 21.3M 117kg Poll Merino at lot 16, among their six purchases, averaging $2166.

The sale's largest volume buyer was long-time clients, the Langford family, K-Tank Station, Broken Hill, NSW, who bought 15 Merino and Poll Merino rams to $1500, averaging $1260.

Tegan Langford said they liked Mulloorie rams for being "all-rounders".

"They're big-framed sheep, open-faced, got good meat and wool coverage," she said.

It was the most rams the Langfords have bought during the sale, generally also taking home a few private sales as well to run with 2000 breeding ewes.

Avondale Station, Broken Hill, went home with 10 rams to $2600, averaging $1390, while the Lintern family, AMP Farms Trust, Tungkillo, went hard on their six selections, paying to $4000, averaging $2366, and the Tohl family, Toloona Props, Booborowie, bought five to $3400, averaging $2220.

The sale was conducted by Elders and Nutrien and interfaced with AuctionsPlus, with Tom Penna and Richard Miller the auctioneers.

Post-sale Mr Miller said the sale result was "outstanding", but not surprising considering the consistency among the offering was "impressive".

"People could buy from front to back, no matter what budget they had," he said.

"Under a trying year, the quality of these sheep was one of the big sellers.

"The top-end was dominated by four or five buyers from the Mid North, pushed by a few extra South East buyers in the tent, which saw strong bidding, and many rams make $3500-$4000 or better.

"Top-end buyers were still operating on the final run, which was underpinned with two to three volume pastoral orders, who weren't afraid to pay a bit more."

Mr Meyer agreed, happy with how his paddock rams presented.

"They haven't had an easy time, but the rams were like peas in a pod, and that's something we work on here, consistency."