A massive lift in prices and near full clearance a feature of combined sale

Bigger-framed sires with heavy-cutting, crimpy white wools were the winning combination at Esperance last week, when the Ledwith family hosted the first of its three Kolindale ram sales for the season.

In a resounding statement of confidence, local buyers - and some from further afield - showed their hand early and often, chasing rams that ticked all the boxes.

At the combined Kolindale, Derella Downs and Pyramid Poll sale, the Ledwiths sold 131 Merino and Poll Merino rams of the 132 offered for an average $1653.

This was achieved under the hammer of both the Nutrien Livestock and Elders selling teams, headed by Nutrien Livestock auctioneer James Culleton.

A massive lift in prices and near full clearance were a positive sign for the sheep and wool industries moving forward, particularly on the back of what had been a tough 2024 selling season.

It was also a reflection of the genetics offered by the Dudinin-based stud, with an emphasis placed on breeding a robust, quick maturing fertile animal with a wool cut to match.

Depth within the catalogue was a testament to the quality the Ledwith family is renowned for, as too was the $3500 top price - which was fetched twice.

Competitive bidding continued, even towards the back end of the catalogue, where rams were snapped up for $2400.

In stark contrast, the Ledwiths sold 115 of 152 Merino and Poll Merino rams presented last year, with the sale peaking at $3000 and reaching $1150 average.

At that time, buyers were reserved in their bidding due to the seasonal and market conditions.

However this has since changed, injecting much-needed confidence back into the industry over the past six months, and a keenness to reinvest in sheep enterprises.

Reflecting on the sale, Mr Culleton said there was good buying support from return clients from start to finish.

"The rams were presented exceptionally well and there was quality throughout the entire catalogue," Mr Culleton said.

"That was definitely the stand-out for me, and is telling of the Ledwith family's commitment."

Elders livestock agent/territory sales manager and wool agent, Emma Dougall, echoed Mr Culleton's comments.

She said the sale was well-supported and reflected a strong interest in securing quality stock this season.

"The sale highlighted how the broader sheep markets and confidence are feeding into demand for rams," Ms Dougall said.

"There was plenty of positivity in the shed, and the rams themselves were well-presented - a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Ledwith family.

"It is always fantastic to see not only Esperance locals in attendance, but also buyers travelling from further afield."

Kolindale stud principal Luke Ledwith was pleased with the results, and said the sale went better than expected.

He said with sheepmeat prices remaining positive, he was confident this trend would continue into the future.

"I still believe the Merino ewe is the most profitable sheep," Mr Ledwith said.

"At the end of the day, producers are paid for kilograms of meat and kilograms of wool - and that's exactly what we focus on in our breeding and management programs."

Kolindale

The sale kicked off with the Kolindale's offering of Merino and Poll Merino rams, which went bang from Mr Culleton's first call, to set the pace early.

In these pens the Ledwiths catalogued 47 rams and achieved 100 per cent clearance.

This run peaked at $3500 for an upstanding, long-bodied and stylish woolled Poll Merino and averaged $1795.

To compare, the Ledwiths sold 48 of 50 Kolindale rams presented last year to a $3000 high and $1513 average.

Breaking down this year's sale, 26 Merino rams went under the hammer for a $3300 high and $1442 average.

Meanwhile, 21 Poll Merinos impressed and were knocked down for a top price of $3500, while averaging $2104.

This was up considerably on the 2024 average of $1379.

Taking home the top price honours in both the Kolindale Merino and Poll Merino rams was loyal and long term client Michael Ietto, Shalimah Farming, Grass Patch.

Shalimah is a 70:30 mixed cropping and sheep enterprise, with 1800 Merino breeding ewes.

Sheep numbers are back on previous years, due to a string of dry seasons, however there is capacity to increase.

Mr Ietto bid the value for a 117 kilogram Poll Merino, which had current wool test figures of 18.3 micron, 3.5 SD, 19.1 CV and 99.9 per cent comfort factor (CF).

Meanwhile, the top-priced Merino which he also purchased, tested at 19 micron, 4.1 SD, 21 CV and 99.4pc CF.

By the end of the run, Mr Ietto had put together an outstanding team of seven rams at an average of $2729.

The Iettos have always run Merinos and always used Kolindale genetics.

"We like that they are good clean sheep, bigger framed and produce a heavier wool cut," Mr Ietto said.

"That's what I was looking for - the carcase weight, shape and very high quality, medium fine wool.

"The wool type is always there, it's even and there is plenty of it."

The Iettos work on a five-week joining starting in November, with the first lambs hitting the ground mid-April.

This year's lambing was a 50:50 split between singles and twins.

Lambs are sent to Albany-based Fletchers International or Katanning, depending on the market demand for processing at 44kg and above liveweight.

In a normal season, Shalimah Farming works on a six-monthly shearing calendar in January and August.

However the second shear was dropped out last year due to the cost of shearing, low wool prices and a dry season.

Working to the 12-monthly shear, the Iettos average 5-6kg/head at about 20 micron, and produced 100 bales.

Stepping away from tradition this year, Mr Ietto decided to purchase six Poll rams and one Merino.

"I normally only ever buy Merinos, but I decided to switch to Polls due to genetics in our own flock," he said.

"They have a good frame and wool, and are easier to handle."

Rocket Harris, also from Grass Patch, equalled Mr Ietto as highest bidder in the Merino rams.

Although only purchasing two rams for the day, Mr Harris knew what he wanted and was happy to pay top dollar for what he wanted, with the second selling for $3000.

Volume buyer in the run was long-term client the Fowler family, Chilwell, Condingup, which left its bidding to Nutrien Livestock development manager sheep and Merino genetics, Mitchell Crosby.

Mr Crosby worked his way through the offering and finished with 14 Merinos and six Polls.

Topping the Chilwell team was a $2400 Merino sire, weighing 98 kilograms and measuring 17 micron, 4.2 SD, 21.6 CV, and 99.2pc CF in the wool.

Pyramid Poll/Derella Downs

Strong buying support carried through to the second run, where a quality line-up of Pyramid Poll and Derella Downs rams were presented.

It was the Ledwith family's third year hosting the combined sale, having purchased the Pyramid Poll and Derella Downs studs from the Pickering family at the end of 2022.

In this run, there were 85 Merino and Poll Merino rams presented which, similarly to the Kolindale stud, sold for a $3500 top.

The average closed out at $1573, with only one ram passed in.

This was well and truly surpassed last year's results, when 102 rams were offered of which 67 were sold under the hammer, peaking at $2300 and averaging $891.

Again that was on the back of a tough period for the sheep and wool industries, where confidence was at a low.

Breaking it down, the Ledwiths cleared 74 of 75 Pyramid Poll rams for an average $1623 - up from $928 the year before.

Meanwhile, the 10 Derella Downs Merino sires recorded an average of $1210 - up from $750.

Topping the run at $3500 was an April shorn, Pyramid Poll ram in the third pen of the second run.

The upstanding, deep ram was secured by father-and-son duo, Murray and Dean Rintoul, LS Rintoul and Co at Newdegate.

The 113kg ram has wool figures of 20.1 micron, 3.6 SD, 18.1 CV and 99.2pc CF.

It has Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) of -1.53 yearling fibre diameter (YFD), 30.21 yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW), 7.97 yearling fat (YFAT), and -0.97 yearling eye muscle depth (YEMD).

The Rintouls put together a team of 13 Poll Merino rams at an average of $2423.

They will mate 2500 Merino ewes to the rams on November 1, which is earlier than usual, aiming for a mid-April drop.

Separately, a further 700 Merino ewes are joined with White Suffolks.

"We were looking for a dual purpose animal - chasing body size and fat, and big wool cutters with a nice fine staple length," Dean Rintoul said.

"We like to get the wethers away early over the hook and try to target that 22-23 kilogram carcase.

"Our sheep numbers are staying the same - we decided to stick fat over the past 12 months.

"We knew the market was going to turn one day."

After buying up big for Chilwell in the Kolindale offering, Mr Crosby did not shy away from the auction floor in this run.

The Fowlers headed for Condingup with a truck full of 40 Pyramid Poll Merino rams at an average of $1395, making them easily the day's biggest buyer.

They topped at $2600 twice in lots 57 and 83.

The lot 57 ram had wool figures of 17.4 micron, 2.9 SD, 16.4 CV and 100pc CF.

It has ASBVs of -2.77 YFD, 25.54 YCFW, -1.01 YFAT, and -0.58 YEMD.

Meanwhile, the ram in lot 83 recorded wool figures of 21.3 micron, 3.7 SD, 17.1 CV and 98.5pc CF, and ASBVs including -0.95 YFD, 30.36 YCFW, -1.02 YFAT, and -0.56 YEMD.

Mr Crosby said he was looking for rams with good body width, a strong topline and nice white wool.

"We look at the figures, but not so much the micron, instead making sure they have the body and fleece weight," he said.

"The Fowlers run a feedlot operation and like to get their wether lambs away heavy and early.

"That means the weights need to be right, and they are cutting a lot of wool.

"Nice white wools are also important down on the coast."

Chilwell Farms runs 30,000 Merino ewes and 8500 Merino hoggets, with plans to continue expanding in numbers.

Simon Fowler, who farms with his wife Robyn and sons Jack, Harry and Hunter, said Merinos had become an important part of his family's business, and was a perfect fit for their cropping program.

He said having a dual income in both meat and wool was one of the main reasons they had stuck with the breed.

Ewes are joined at the end of December for 42 days and by the end of May, to the start of June, are lambing down.

Most of the ewes at Chilwell Farms are halfway through lambing by the middle of June and are used for crop grazing once they have finished.

Ewes, which do not meet the required carcase or wool criteria, are culled from the primary Merino breeding flock.

They are instead mated to White Suffolk rams for prime lamb production, producing 6000 crossbred lambs each year in a March-April drop.

Those lambs are finished on grass and sent to V&V Walsh for processing by September.

"We were looking for rams with good, white wool," Mr Fowler said.

"Luke consistently offers good numbers, so it is easy to buy in that volume as well.

"We have been using Kolindale genetics for about 15 years now."