Repeat clients chase wool, carcase quality at Roseville and Kingsvale sale

Strong support from local and repeat buyers underpinned the Manchester family's annual Roseville Corriedale and Kingsvale Supreme Poll Dorset ram sale, held at Kingsvale on September 19.

Stud principal Tony Manchester sold 14 of 23 Corriedale rams to a record on-property sale top of $5800 to average $1729, while 45 of 53 Poll Dorset rams were cleared to a top of $2400 three times to average $1391.

The $5800 top-priced Corriedale, Roseville C230098, was purchased by repeat buyer Ben Maher, Blekemore Pastoral Co, Ballimore.

Mr Manchester said the twin-born ram, by C200191, was an "exceptional" Corriedale ram with a great balance of figures and an extremely soft white wool.

Mr Maher said it was the best Corriedale ram he had seen in a long time.

"At 24 to 25 micron, he is right in the sweet spot for us," he said.

"He will also fit perfectly with what we are trying to do and hit that branded wool market Tony has opened up for his clients.

"Our main focus is breeding for wool, which is why we're interested in what Tony is doing with Bendigo Woollen Mills, but the lambs are also ideal for meat production, so we are able to capitalise on great lambs to go with the wool."

Mr Maher runs a 2000-head Corriedale commercial self-replacing flock with the balance of surplus ewes joined to either the Manchester's Kingsvale Supreme Poll Dorset rams, a White Suffolk or a Charollais. Mr Maher secured three Corriedale rams in total, averaging $3067.

Three Poll Dorset rams made the equal top of $2400, with Mark Tiedemann, Young, securing the first in a draft of three he took home, averaging $2133.

Mr Tiedemann runs 4200 Centre Plus-blood Merino ewes, joining about 1000 to Poll Dorset rams each to sell over the hooks or through the saleyards, depending on the market.

"We are chasing rams that add punch to our Merinos and have the ability to marble and develop better intramuscular fat to hit the specs better over the hooks," Mr Tiedemann said.

The second of the top rams was secured by John Taylor and family, Monteagle, who purchased four rams, averaging $1750, while long-time supporters, Currawong Livestock, Harden, were the third buyer paying to $2400, purchasing eight Poll Dorset rams to average $1525.

Local buyer Duncan Stewart, Eulo Pastoral Company, Kingsvale, who runs a mixed-farming operation with cropping, cattle and Merinos, purchased seven Poll Dorset rams, paying to a top of $2200 and averaging $1485.

Mr Stewart said they had always joined Poll Dorset rams to a portion of their Merino ewes and over the past few years have slowly been increasing the percentage and will again this year to take advantage of the improved lamb prices.

"We are chasing low birth weight rams that will join well to the Merinos," he said.

"But they need to have carcase and growth so we can have a saleable lamb at the other end.

"Our goal is to be able to sell to the Gundagai Lamb GLQ program and we know Tony's rams can help us tighten our breeding to hit those specs more regularly."

Rick Houlihan, Glen Esk Corriedales, Rydal, secured four Poll Dorset rams averaging $1050, while pushing the top Corriedale ram to $5800 before pulling out. Mr Houlihan also secured three Corriedale rams averaging $1200.

Matthew Bennett and his family, from Mia Mia in Victoria, secured three Corriedale rams, including the second top-priced ram for $2600, averaging $1533, as well as one Poll Dorset ram for $1000.

Rounding out the volume buyers on the day, the Wells family from Wombat, secured seven Poll Dorset rams at $1000 each, while eight Poll Dorset rams were purchased online heading to the Albury region.

The sale was conducted by Delta Agribusiness, Young, with Cameron Rosser as the auctioneer. Stocklive provided the online interface.