Two top-priced rams head in opposite directions from One Oak Poll Merino sale
Interstate buyers came in to sweep the floor at the Andrew and Natasha Wells' One Oak Poll Merino ram sale, held Friday, September 26, on-property near Jerilderie.
No distance was too far for buyers, with the top-priced ram, One Oak Poll B721 which sold for $11,500, travelling 1300km home with James Turnbull, Narada Grazing, Tambo, Qld.
The ram, sired by the SP fine syndicate, weighed 110 kilograms, while recording a fibre diameter of 18.9 micron, with 2.8 micron standard deviation, with a coefficient of variation of 15.4 per cent and a comfort factor of 99.6pc.
He also recorded a greasy fleece weight of 127pc, with an eye muscle depth scan of 47 millimetres, an eye muscle width of 101mm and a fat measurement of 7.5mm.
James Turner said the ram would be joined over a line of ewes within the 3000-Merino ewe operation, which averages 18.5 micron depending on the season.
"We've been coming down here for seven years now, and the sheep are holding up in our country, and we're seeing the benefits of it," he said.
"The ram we bought today, just overall was the complete ram here that we think is going to improve our operation the most. He's got plenty of frame about him and very good-wooled ram.
"We are always trying to improve by growing the frame of our sheep but also keep the wool on them and improve the wool quality. The sheep down here seem to be doing that."
The operation looks for good lock structure in a fleece to keep the nourishment in the wool, as otherwise the wool dries out in the northern conditions.
The second top-priced ram One Oak Poll B-726 stayed local, being purchased by Don and Will Bull, Deniliquin, for $9750.
Weighing 102kg, the ram was sired by the M syndicate, recording a fibre diameter of 18.2m, CV of 16pc, SD of 3m and a CF of 99.5pc.
The homozygous polled ram also recorded an EMD of 44mm, and EMW of 92mm, along with a fat scan of 7mm.
Will Bull said he was a lovely wooled ram.
"He had a long staple length, nice bright wool, lovely crimp and just a good all-around sheep with size," he said.
"He's a good dual-purpose ram."
His father Don said the family aim for the ram, and One Oak Poll B723, which they also purchased for $3750, was to be joined over a select line of ewes to breed rams for their 6000 ewe operation.
Another ram that has a long journey of 600km to his new home was One Oak Poll R023, purchased by Justin Boughan, Sandalwood Merino stud, Karoonda, South Australia, for $9500.
The young ram, sired by a homebred sire for the stud in One Oak Poll R023, was 20.8m, SD of 3.9m, a CV of 18.9pc and GFW of 125pc.
Weighing 102kg, he also recorded an EMD of 38mm, an EMW of 85mm and a fat scan of 7mm.
Justin Broughan said he made the journey over looking for a pure, white-wooled ram to take back to SA.
"These types of wools seem to suit our area," he said.
"They're very white, very high yielding and they have a bit of thickness so they cut a bit of wool.
"He's by red 31, which is a sire we chase here a bit, he is a good productive sheep."
He said the stud turns off 300 rams a year with 3000 ewes mated annually.
"We've bought from Alistair before, with good results," he said.
"That's why we come back."
Volume buyers in the sale included AM and CE Browning, Ivyholme, Jerilderie, who took home six rams for a top of $3750 for an average of $2492, while Carruthers and Sons, Tullibigeal, secured seven rams for an average of $1897.
Return purchasers, Kingslea Partnership, Bookham, purchased eight rams to a top of $4000, to average $2175.
Overall, the sale resulted in 71 of 100 rams sold to a top of $11,500 for an average of $2500.
One Oak Poll Merino stud co-principal Alistair Wells said it was pleasing to see buyers from different climates return to the sale because the sheep and wool have been able to handle the diverse conditions.
The sale was conducted by Elders and Nutrien, with Harry Cozens and Tim Woodham as auctioneers.
