Mernowie Poll Merinos celebrate 50 years of breeding with full clearance
It was fitting as Mernowie Poll Merino stud celebrated 50 years of stud breeding that many of the same families who have been clients for decades were the prominent buyers at the annual sale at Marrabel.
There was plenty for Ian and Roz, David and Paige Rowett to celebrate with a total clearance of their 116 April shorn rams for a very credible $1628 average.
This was a great result, especially considering in 2024, they sold 112 of 126 rams for a $1912 average.
The $9000 top price came late in the sale at lot 103, tag 1300, with one of the youngest rams in the catalogue, which was bred out of a ewe lamb.
The Andriske family, Galga, snapped up the young AI-bred son of Mernowie 230471 in the August and September drops.
They were impressed with the long-bodied ram but were also chasing the good balance of Australian Sheep Breeding Values.
This included a yearling weaning weight of 13.41, ranking in the top 5 per cent, and yearling clean fleece weight of 29.4, a yearling eye muscle depth of 1.48 and early breech wrinkle of -0.75.
Like many in the catalogue, the sale topper had been reared as a twin and had a 17.1 micron fleece with a 100 per cent comfort factor.
"He will match in well with the two we bought at the Classings sale," David said.
Ray said they had kept coming back to Mernowie since 1983 because they were easy-care sheep.
"The meat traits are up there; they are as good as any around, and the wool has always been good," he said.
The doing ability of the Mernowie bloodlines have been tested with the Andriskes having one of their lowest rainfall years ever.
Lot 1, tag number 502, kicked the sale off strongly, selling for the second-highest price of $8000 to another long-time supporter PJ&AM Rowett & Sons, Bordertown.
They have bought at each one of the stud's sales.
The 18.9M ram had a great balance of ASBVs for including a YCFW of 34.71 and YEMD of 2.18, as well as one of the best early breech wrinkle figure at -0.91.
Kerry Rowett said they were "dual-purpose sheep raised in commercial conditions" that were well suited to their South East rainfall.
Before the sale, stud founder Ian Rowett reflected on the 50-year journey which started with the purchase of a Barton Hill Merino ram at the Adelaide Merino ram sale.
He said he was grateful to his father Stan and brother Geoff, who had supported his wishes to start a stud, although he recalls Stan stating 'you will never grow big Merino sheep at Marrabel'.
"I think we have come close to achieving that, it has been a bumpy ride and really hard at times but we have also had some high spots as well," Ian said.
David said they were "stoked" with the total clearance but also how the rams had come up after a challenging start.
"This last month, they have powered ahead with some green feed. With our growth rates when they do get a bit of feed put in front of them, they grow quickly, which a lot of our clients are finding too," he said.
David said they had been fortunate over the years to have many long-time clients.
"Loyalty in this industry is what you always hope to get and it is what we have built our business on," he said.
"To see our clients every year and to class their sheep, it has been great to build those long term relationships."
The biggest buyer for the third year in a row was Geelong Lime, which were being advised by sheep classer Dale Bruns. They bought 22 rams to $3600 and averaged $1495.
Burge Estates, Tanunda, found plenty of great value paying to $2200 and averaging $1473 for their 13 rams.
One of four first-time buyers, Winnowie Props, Nectar Brook, Mambray Creek and Agery, which set a Dublin lamb record in June at $360 secured 13 rams between the $800 base price and $1000.
Nutrien SA stud stock manager Gordon Wood said to have a full clearance at any sale in 2025 was "pretty handy".
"There were a couple of larger station orders that were able to get rams at $800 each, but then we saw the Andriskes as they always do, dive in and buy the ones they like which is always great to see as an auctioneer," he said
He commended the Rowetts on reaching 50 years breeding Merinos and said the rams in the stud's 38th annual sale were well-structured sheep with a great combination of data and phenotype.
"There were plenty of white, long-stapled crimpy fibres with nourishment as well as having positive fat and positive muscle," Mr Wood said.
"They are also good for dag and early breech wrinkle, which is really important in this high rainfall and humid area."
Elders stud stock's Conor Lamond - who shared the auctioneering duties - said there was great competition the whole way through and noted that it was great to see rams selling to a wide geographical area.
