Quality all-round type rams take the lead at the Woodpark Poll Merino sale

All-rounder rams were on the top of purchasers' agendas at the Huggins family's Woodpark Poll Merino ram sale at Conargo on Monday, September 22.

Rams sold into three states, including Queensland, Victoria and throughout NSW, with all 140 rams selling to a top of $9000 to average $2631.

The top-priced ram, Woodpark Poll 24-949, was purchased by return buyer Nicolas Bliss, Mathoura Station, Mathoura, south of Deniliquin.

The homozygous polled ram, sired by Woodpark Poll 21-1404, recorded a fibre diameter of 18.6, standard deviation of 2.9 micron, coefficient of variation of 15.3 per cent, while recording a comfort factor of 99.7 per cent.

He also ranked in the top 20 per cent in flock breeding values (FBVs) for his yearling weight (YWT) figure of +11.2, his lean meat yeild (LMY) value of +2.3, along with his yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW) and yearling fibre diameter (YFD) figures of +28.6 and -175, respectively.

He also ranked in the top 30pc for his wool production index of 175.

Buyer Nicolas Bliss said the operation had been purchasing rams from the stud for 17 years.

"We just thought he was a well-structured, good-rounded ram, we breed our own rams and have our own self-replacing ram flock," he said.

"We were just looking for some fresh blood, and I think he'll go well in the program.

"We're trying to breed a white, bright, and finer micron fleece that's well covered and a good all-round flock sheep."

The operation runs 5000 Merino ewes with 3000 joined back to Merino rams, while the remainder are joined to terminals, alongside their self-replacing ram breeding flock and broadacre farming.

The Mathoura operation also purchased Woodpark Poll 24-102 for $3200.

The second top-priced ram was secured by another repeat buyer, Keith J Davies, Caragabal, for $6800.

Sired by Woodpark Poll 19-740, the young ram recorded a fibre diameter of 18.7 micron, with 2.8 micron SD, 15pc CV and 99.7pc CF.

He ranked in the top 5pc for his LMY value of +3.5, while being in the top 20pc for his YWT, YCFW and YFD values of +11.4, +28.1 and -2.1, respectively.

He also placed in the top 30pc for his wool production and sustainable Merino indexes of 179 and 152.

Michael Elmes, Narrandera, who purchased the ram on behalf of Mr Davies, said the ram was a moderate framed, fast-growing type.

"He's square behind, he's the same width at the hips as he is in the body so he goes right through," he said.

"He has some thickness there, some carcase and good shape and good data to go with it."

One of the volume buyers throughout the draft was Bungeeltap Pastoral Pty Ltd, Macedon, Vic, who purchased eight rams for a top of $5200 for an average of $3925.

Brigid Robertson, Bungeeltap Pastoral Pty Ltd, said the operation was chasing a type to suit the South Victorian climate and their wool and prime lamb production.

"It's got to be good, free-growing, good quality wools on a sheep with good conformation," she said.

"We look for the dual purpose type, we're normally higher rainfall down there.

"We keep coming back because of the quality and the consistency in the sheep, they produce a good all purpose sheep for what we want."

Other volume buyers included Queensland purchasers, PJ Dean Pastoral, Notus Downs, Longreach, who made the 1600-kilometre trip and secured 11 rams for a top of $5200 to average $3272.

Deniliquin buyers L, D, S and M Farrant, Calimo, secured 10 rams averaging $2220, while repeat buyers Weir Farming, Barmedman, took home 10 rams averaging $1980.

The largest purchaser was Corynnia Pty Ltd, buying 30 rams averaging $1606.

A total of 11 rams were knocked down to McCorkell Pastoral Company, Hamilton, Vic, including the last ram to be offered at auction, Woodpark Poll 24-142, who sold for $6400. Their draft averaged $3072.

MV Ag, Alectown, purchased eight rams for a top of $4800 to average $2450.

Woodpark Poll stud principals Stephen and Carol Huggins said they were thrilled with the result.

"We thought we had some really amazing sales in the past which went better than we expected, and so this year, it's everyone else's turn," Mrs Huggins said.

"We're really happy to sell everything, everyone seemed happy with what they have and I don't think we could have been happier with the result.

"People don't have the numbers they had last year, but at Jerilderie sale last year, clients were buying each other's Woodpark Poll sheep because they were expanding and wanted to stay with those genetics."

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Finley and Elders Deniliquin, with Nick Gray, Elders, and Tim Woodham, Nutrien, as auctioneers.

AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.