Averages were up by a huge amount for this Poll Merino and Merino sale

It might have been an unusually cold spring day, with a strong cold westerly wind blowing at the Eastville Park and Quailerup West on-property ram sale at Wickepin on Monday, but there was plenty of heat in the shed when the bidding started.

The Mullan family offered an outstanding line-up of 210 Merino and Poll Merino rams suited to all environments and they were strongly sought after by new and old buyers during the two hour sale.

Right through the line-up the buyers, which included a number that hadn't bought in the past couple of years, showed their renewed faith in the sheep and wool industry bidding up strongly on the line-up pushing prices to a sale high $6000 and the average up $329 on last year.

When the final ram was knocked down by the Nutrien Livestock selling team, led by auctioneer Austin Gerhardy, the Mullan family had sold 200 rams under the hammer from 210 offered at an average of $1830 to 37 buyers.

In last year's sale, the Mullans sold 179 rams from 224 offered to 29 buyers, at an average of $1501.

This means this year, not only did the average lift $329 on last year, the Mullans also sold an extra 21 rams under the hammer and they had eight more buyers than last year.

The Mullans offered 190 Poll Merinos and sold 184 for an average of $1842 (up $290 on last year), while in the Merino side of the catalogue, they cleared 16 rams from 20 offered at an average of $1688 (up $638 on last year).

Nutrien Livestock WA development manager - sheep and Merino genetics specialist, Mitchell Crosby, said it was a really strong and positive sale for the Mullan family.

"It was an outstanding line-up of rams, all displayed their usual large frames and quality white wools, which can go anywhere as indicated by the stud's client list that is not only made up of local buyers, but also spans to Muntadgin in the east, Boyup Brook in the south west and Tenterden to the south," Mr Crosby said.

"The Mullans have invested heavily in their breeding program in terms of buying rams as well as AI and ET programs in recent years and you could see that in the offering and also in the results they have achieved in the show ring this year, where they have claimed grand champion Poll Merino and Merino rams ribbons at all three major shows.

"Their clients appreciate the dedication the Mullans have to their breeding program and I think they showed it by turning up and buying strongly."

In terms of the final result, Mr Crosby said there was very strong buying support throughout, despite the absence of a couple of buyers from last year which bought large teams.

"I think the top end sold extremely well and I think to average over $1800 across 200 rams is a great result," he said.

"Even though the sale average was $1800, there was still a lot of affordable rams between $1000 and $1500 for buyers that had lower budgets, which is also good to see.

"It was also pleasing to see there were buyers that returned after a couple of years absence due to what was happening in the industry, alongside a couple of new buyers.

"Overall it was a very successful sale and the average was certainly up on pre-sale expectations.

"It followed the trend of other sales this season with buyers showing confidence in the industry on the back of improved wool and sheep prices in recent months."

Speaking on behalf of the Mullan family, stud co-principal Grantly Mullan said they were extremely happy with the final sale result, in terms of both prices and clearance.

"To average $1830 and sell 200 rams, I think is a fantastic result and very heartening to us given our belief in the industry," Mr Mullan said.

"There was a very good crowd in the shed and it was pleasing to see a number of buyers back operating this year, after a couple of years absence due to the struggles in the industry.

"When you combine the results of this sale with the rams we have sold earlier this year and our success in the show ring, I think it has been a very positive year for us after a couple of tough ones in terms of seasons and prices.

"We are very grateful to our loyal clients who have continued to support us and have kept their sheep despite the past couple of tough years.

"It has certainly been a hard couple of years, but things have turned a corner and I think those who have stuck with their sheep are going to reap the rewards and will probably have the last laugh.

"We believe the Merino has a place on our property, in this region and in the State and going forward there is going to be strong demand for the Merino ewe."

A top run of 36 March shorn Poll Merino and Merino rams kicked the sale off in a strong way, averaging $3038 and it was among these pens the $6000 top-priced ram was found.

Hitting the $6000 top price was a big, upstanding Quailerup West Poll Merino ram in pen three when it created a bidding melee between a couple of buyers.

Mr Gerhardy took an opening bid of $3000 on the ram and after some quick and forth between the auctioneering team and the interested parties, he knocked it down at $6000 to Elders WA stud stock manager and Eastville Park/Quailerup West classer Nathan King, who revealed he was buying for return buyer Anthony Dearlove, AM, MJ & WR Dearlove, Dudinin, who couldn't make the sale.

Mr King said the April-drop ram had a big, deep body and a good white, crimpy wool.

"I think he was the best ram in the shed," Mr King said.

"His sire's done an exceptional job for the Mullans, so I think he will breed really well for the Dearloves who are long time buyers of Quailerup West rams."

"They will use the ram in a nucleus flock to breed rams for their own use."

The 123 kilogram, March shorn, shed-prepared ram, which is by Quailerup West 220051, had current wool figures of 20.6 micron, 3.5 SD and 99.3 per cent comfort factor (CF), along with a late June scan of 29.6mm for eye muscle depth (EMD).

The second highest price recorded in the catalogue was $5000 for another Quailerup West Poll Merino ram which was catalogued in lot six and it was bid by first time buyer Steve Rayner and his father Arnold, RA & JB Rayner, Brookton.

Steve Rayner said they picked the 121kg, April-drop ram out for its deep, square frame and good, white crimpy wool which would suit their environment.

"We were also chasing his bloodline as his sire had a lot of rams in the catalogue and they were all very consistent in type, which is encouraging," Mr Rayner said.

The March shorn, shed-prepared ram is by Quailerup West 220051 and it has wool figures of 19.7 micron, 3.4 SD and 99.9pc CF to go with an EMD of 26.4mm.

Mr Rayner said they would use the ram in their nucleus flock of 150 ewes in which they breed rams for their own use.

All up this year, they will join 700 ewes to Merino rams and 300 Merino ewes to White Suffolk rams for a June lambing.

The next best price was $4200 for a March shorn, 98.5kg, Eastville Park Poll Merino ram and bidding to this value was return buyer Brad Smoker, Gorge Rock Farming, Corrigin.

The white, stylish woolled ram, which is by Collinsville 210328, had wool figures of 18.9 micron, 3.1 SD, 99.8pc CF and an EMD scan of 28.7mm.

Along with securing this ram, Mr Smoker purchased another 11 Eastville Park Polls to finish with a team of 12 at an average of $2725 to be one of the most influential buyers on the day.

Included in the other rams he purchased was another Collinsville 210328 son at $4000 which tested 19.0 micron, 3.5 SD and 99.7pc in the wool.

Mr Smoker, who has been buying from the Mullans for more than 10 years, said he liked buying from the stud as the animals were very efficient and drove his flock's performance that keeps improving every year.

"Today I was looking for rams with well-nourished wools with medium to large frames," Mr Smoker said.

This year the Smokers will join 2200 to Merino rams for a June/July lambing and he said for the past five years they have sold all their wethers to WAMMCO at about 12 months of age, when they are still lambs.

"We shear them twice and then sell them in July/August/September off dominant sub-clover pastures.

"We also supplemented them with hay through the winter.

"This year we would have averaged $235 over the hook (includes a small skin) for 1000 wethers and 200 cull ewes and then we would have averaged about $100 a head for their wool across the two shearings as well."

The top price for a Merino ram was $3600 and it was achieved by an Eastville Park sire when it was knocked down to return buyer Jay Robertson, CJ & EJ Robertson & Son, Kulin, who was looking for plain bodied rams with good, free-growing, white wools.

Mr Robertson said the 119kg, March shorn ram was a nice sized sire with plenty of growth still in it.

"He also had the wool type we want," Mr Robertson said.

His purchases didn't just finish here, also securing another four Eastville Park Merinos and six Polls, as well as four Quailerup West Polls to finish with a team of 15 at an average of $1760, making him the volume buyer.

This year, the Robertsons will join 1800 ewes to Merinos for an end of May lambing, as well as 700 Merino ewes to Prime SAMMs and 2000 first-cross Prime SAMM ewes to Dorpers.

"We are very happy to see the sheep and wool markets have turned around and we are confident we have done the right thing sticking with our sheep," Mr Robertson said.

Also bidding up on the Eastville Park Merino rams on offer was Brendan Maher, Rockdale Valley and Kamballie studs, Muntadgin.

Mr Maher purchased two Eastville Park Merino rams at $3500 and $3000, which were both by Collinsville 220009.

The $3500 ram weighed 109kg and had wool figures of 22.1 micron, 3.2 SD and 99.1pc CF, while the $3000 ram weighed 117kg, with wool figures of 20.6 micron, 3.6 SD and 98.6pc CF.

Mr Maher said they were chasing the bloodline of the two rams as they already have sons by it but wanted a couple more rams for a syndicate joining.

"They are big well-structured rams with good medium wools," he said.

Along with joining 2000 stud ewes, the Mahers also join 4000 commercial ewes to Merino rams and 1000 Merino ewes to White Suffolk sires for an April lambing and aim to sell their lambs as early as possible.

Mr Maher said they have already sold this year's drop of Merino wether lambs which totalled 2000 head averaging 39kg liveweight for an average of $175 in the past couple of weeks to an Eastern States' buyer.

In addition to the two Merino rams, Mr Maher also purchased an Eastville Park Poll sire at $3000.

Other buyers to purchase at the top end of the market included SS & P Martin, Wickepin, which secured six Polls to a top of $4000 and an average of $2733, while GC & MD Orchard, Wickepin, purchased one Merino and five Polls at a $2333 average and a top of $2900.

Also in this category were Kechualing Farming Trust, Wagin, averaging $2800 for four Polls, T & L O'Driscoll, Grass Valley, with four Polls at a $2600 average and Kov & Co, Pingelly, that secured seven Polls for a $2200 average.

Along with Mr Smoker and Mr Robertson, there were another four other buyers to secure double figure teams and they were RW & BM Bahr, Kukerin (12 Polls, $1417 average); JG & RJ Matthews, Brookton (10 Polls, $1720); Jesse Martin & Co, Williams (10 Polls, $2000) and Schorer & Sons, Jitaring (10 Polls, $1610).