Production abilities and proven genetics drive up prices for annual sale

Return buyers, who know the production abilities of Eastville and Cardiff genetics, and a couple of new buyers, were strong in their support of the Ledwith family's Eastville Poll Merino and Cardiff bloodline Merino ram sale at Dudinin last week, pushing prices to a high of $6000 for a Merino ram.

With rain falling on the shed roof in the lead up and during the sale, buyers still remained focused on the task of buying rams to improve their flocks to take advantage of the positive movements in the sheep and wool markets into the future.

In his opening speech, stud co-principal Luke Ledwith, reminded buyers that the industry appeared to be back on track after a couple of tough years.

"The meat price is booming and will be like it for a few years, while wool prices are creeping back up," Mr Ledwith said.

"It is all going to be very positive in the years to come which is exciting and rewarding for those who have stuck with their Merinos."

With these encouraging words, the combined offering of 119 Merino and Poll Merino rams were well received by the buyers, who were positive and consistent in their bidding from start to finish.

Under the control of Elders auctioneers, Preston Clarke and Riley Stasinowsky, the Ledwith family cleared 111 rams from the offering to 13 buyers at an average of $1695, which was up $296.

Last year the stud offered 137 rams and sold 125 to a high of $8700 and an average of $1399.

Elders stud stock sales specialist, Jeff Brown, said the sale was well supported by old and new clients which helped record a positive result.

"The clearance and prices across both sides of the catalogue were very good," Mr Brown said.

"The rams presented very well and displayed good frames and good wools which both bloodlines are renowned for and this resulted in good competition right through the catalogue."

Cardiff bloodline

When it came to the offering of Cardiff blood Merino rams, it may have been the smaller part of the catalogue, but there was still plenty of interest in it and was where the day's $6000 top price ram was found.

In this section, the Ledwiths put forward 47 Merino rams and by the end of the sale, 44 cleared under the hammer to an average of $1520, which was down $51 on last year.

In comparison last year the Ledwiths offered 50 rams in this side of the catalogue and sold 45 to a $1571 average and a top of $8700.

Achieving the $6000 top price for the day was the first Cardiff blood ram offered, when it was purchased by repeat Cardiff buyers the Smith family, Wongamine Grazing Co, Northam.

The upstanding, March shorn, shed prepared ram, which carried Collinsville bloodlines, weighed in at 127 kilograms and had wool figures of 18.7 micron, 3.1 SD, 16.7 CV and 99.5 per cent comfort factor (CF).

Buyer Glenn Smith said his father Wayne saw the ram at the Dowerin Machinery Field Days and was impressed by it.

"He is a big sheep, with a big barrel and a very sirey wool," Mr Smith said.

"He will also be a new bloodline for us."

Along with purchasing the top-priced ram, the Smiths also purchased another Cardiff bloodline March shorn Merino ram at $4200.

This ram, which carried Wallaloo Park bloodlines, weighed in at 120kg and had wool figures of 21.0 micron, 3.2 SD, 15.4 CV and 99.6pc CF.

The Smiths will use both rams in their nucleus breeding flock of 600 ewes where they breed rams for their own use.

In addition to their nucleus flock this year, the Smiths are planning to join 4500 ewes mainly to Merino rams for end of May/June lambing.

Mr Smith said they were very happy to see the turn around in the sheep and wool industry and that producers were now getting rewards for hanging in with their sheep.

"Not joining our two oldest age groups of ewes and running them as dries two years ago has paid dividends," he said.

Also buying at the top end of the Cardiff bloodline was DA & YM Haywood, Goomalling, which purchased eight rams to a high of $3000 and an average of $2138, while Richard Smith & Sons, Goomalling, averaged $1733 over a team of six that topped at $2000.

The volume buyer in the run was the Morgan family, Morgan Tirrana Farms, Bencubbin, which had previously purchased from the Cardiff stud and run a 60:40 livestock/cropping mix.

It finished with 18 rams at a $989 average and to a high of $1600.

Hugh Morgan said he wanted rams with size, bright wools, a little bit of skin, good wool density and do-ability.

The Morgans will join 4000 ewes to Merinos this season which are run alongside a wether flock of 6000 head.

Mr Morgan said they run their wethers through to 3.5-5.5 years of age for wool production and then sell them as mutton.

"We hope to get a cut of 6.5kg off them but it depends a lot on the season," Mr Morgan said.

Eastville

In the Eastville portion of the catalogue, 72 Poll Merino rams were offered and by the end, 67 had been cleared under the hammer to a high of $3700 and an average of $1810, which was up $507 on last year's result.

At last year's sale, there were 87 Eastville rams offered and 80 sold for an average of $1303.

Achieving top price honours and selling at $3700 in the Eastville offering was the very last ram offered in the Eastville team when it was knocked down to Elders, Narrogin agent Paul Keppel.

After the ram was knocked down to him, Mr Keppel announced he purchased the ram on behalf of long-time buyers, the Milne family, MA Milne & Co, Borden, which was unable to get to the sale.

Mr Keppel said his instructions were to select rams with good structure and frame size and good, pure white wool types which could handle the Borden environment.

"This ram ticked all the boxes for the Milne's requirements," Mr Keppel said.

"He is a good long ram, with good squareness and good doing ability, as well as long-stapled, white wool."

The long, deep, 120 kilogram ram had current wool figures of 20.8 micron, 3.1 SD, 14.8 CV and 99.2pc CF.

Along with securing the top-priced Eastville ram for the Milnes, who have been buying from Eastville for more than 20 years, Mr Keppel purchased another six rams for an overall average of $2929.

Also in the team heading to Borden at $3400 (third top price) was a 123kg ram with wool figures of 18.1 micron, 2.6 SD, 14.5 CV and 99.7pc CF.

The second top price in the Eastville line-up was $3600 paid by Graham White, Gre-Mel Nominees, Badgingarra, for a 107kg ram with wool figures of 19.7 micron, 3.2 SD, 16.3 CV and 99.7pc CF.

In addition to this ram, Mr White also purchased four other Eastville Polls, as well as Merino ram from the Cardiff bloodline line-up to finish with a team of six rams overall, at an average of $2383.

The volume buyer in the Eastville offering was client of more than 15 years, Adam Watts, LR Watts & Co, West Pingelly.

Mr Watts worked his way through the catalogue and walked away from the sale with 12 rams clerked to his name to a high of $3000 and an average of $1675.

He was looking for rams with big frames which carried good white wools.

"We like to buy from Eastville as the rams have really good white, stylish wools that suit our environment and there are always plenty to choose from," Mr Watts said.

The Watts will this year join 2000 ewes to Merino sires and another 1200 Poll Merino ewes to White Suffolk rams for an April lambing.

Also buying numbers and bidding at the top end of the catalogue was long-time client Mt Sheridan Farms, Varley, which purchased nine rams to the top of $3200 and an average of $1933.

Other buyers supporting the offering in terms of numbers were D & D Warburton, Wandering, which purchased nine Polls, plus one Merino, to a top of $2400 and an average of $1640, while Moyses & Co, Narrogin, averaged $1600 over a team of seven to a top of $2200 and G & E Poultney, East Pingelly, finished with five Polls to a high of $2600 and an average of $1920.