Yerong Creek buyer snaps up 'standout' ram at Avenel Merino's 47th sale

Buyers got behind the McCrabb family at the Avenel Merino ram sale, held on-property, near Wanganella, Friday, September 19, to achieve a solid result for the stud's 47th sale.

In the end, 90 of 94 Merino and Poll Merino rams were sold to a top price of $8000 for an average of $2536.

The top-priced ram was sold to long-term repeat buyers Debbie and Graham Mott, Yerong Creek.

The ram weighed 88.5 kilograms and measured a fibre diameter of 16 micron, standard deviation of 2.9 micron, coefficient of variation of 18.1 per cent, comfort factor of 99.4pc and clean fleece weight of 100pc.

The young polled ram ranked in the top 20pc of the breed for his Australian Sheep Breeding Value (ASBV) of -2.3 for yearling fibre diameter (YFD).

The Mott family runs a wool operation with a self-replacing flock of about 2000 Merino ewes.

Avenel stud co-principal Colin McCrabb said the ram was one that also had some presence about him.

"He was at the top, and just continued to improve," he said.

"He was a ram that stood out, he would come out of the mob and stand out in front of the mob as if to say 'look at me'.

The operation also secured six additional rams for an average of $5214.

Another highlight throughout the sale was OS4117, who was offered as a charity ram and purchased by David and Neil Allen, Mitiamo, Vic, for $5500, with all proceeds from the sale of the ram being donated to the McGrath Foundation.

Neil Allen said the program sources rams with long white wool, that's not to open.

"We also look for good upstanding rams, because the meat side is very important at the moment," he said.

The operation has been purchasing rams from the McCrabb family for 40 years for their 1800 Merino ewe flock.

The Allens also purchased an additional 10 rams for a top of $5500 to average $3545.

This year marked a milestone for the studs' donation to the cause, as a total of $14,800 was raised for the charity, the largest amount yet.

A close family friend who was not in the position to buy a ram put forward another $8000 to the charity.

DM Mertz and Sons, Pine Lodge, Moulamein, purchased 11 rams for an average of $1818, while Peter Glenn, Mallam, secured seven rams for an average of $1357.

Eromunga Trust, Moulamein, took home 18 rams for a top of $2000 with an average of $1402.

Mr McCrabb said the family was pleased with the strong result and support from repeat buyers.

"We've had really large volume buyers buying 20 to 25 rams, putting a really strong floor in it," he said.

"Then we had buyers who bought 10 early for stronger money and over the year they've realised that buying at the top end their flocks are really improving and going ahead."

The sale was conducted by Elder Deniliquin and AWN with Ross Milne and Greg Miller as auctioneers.