New and repeat buyers ensure an increased average at Kerin Poll Merino sale

Yeoval stud Kerin Poll Merino enjoyed a successful 16th on-property ram sale on Friday, September 26.

All 500 rams on offer sold at an average of $2930, an increase of $91 on last year's result.

A good mix of new and repeat buyers were in action at the sale, driving strong competition through the entire catalogue.

The top-priced ram was 242141, which sold for $7500.

Sired by Anderson 220489 and out of dam 230535, 242141 weighed in at 90 kilograms on August 7.

The September 2024-drop ram was scanned in the top five per cent for a number of Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) with 10.9 post-weaning weight (PWT), 13.8 yearling weight (YWT), -63.9 yearling worm egg count (YWEC) and 3.4 lean meat yield (LMY).

It scanned in the top 10pc of ASBVs with 2.8 yearling eye muscle depth (YEMD) and -0.7 early breach cover (EBCOV); and in the top 20pc with 30.5 yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW), 23.4 adult clean fleece weight (ACFW), 17.6 yearling staple length (YSL), -0.9 early breach wrinkle (EBWR) and 0.25 weaning rate (WR).

The ram also scanned in the top 30pc with -1.6 yearling fibre diameter coefficient of variation (YFDCV) and -0.3 late dag (LDAG).

Three rams - 240421, 240436, and 240382 - shared the second top price of $7000.

A July-2024 drop, 240421 was sired by 221869 and is out of dam 211237, scanning in the top 1pc with -0.9 LDAG; the top 5pc with 11.0 PWT, -0.8 EBCOV and 3.0 LMY; and the top 10pc with 2.6 YEMD and -1.1 EBWR.

The ram 240436 is a July-2024 drop ram sired by 211651 and out of 221191, scanning in the top 1pc with -1.0 EBCOV; the top 10pc with 9.9 PWT and 0.07 ewe rearing ability; and the top 20pc with 1.3 yearling fat depth, 27.3 YCFW, 26.1 ACFW, -44.6 YWEC and 0.2 intramuscular fat.

The third ram to sell for $7000 was 240382, a July-2024 drop, sired by 230049 and out of 221691.

It scanned in the top 1pc with -3.2 YFDCV, -1.2 EBCOV, and -0.8 LDAG; the top 5pc with 3.2 YEMD; the top 10pc with 10.0 PWT, -1.0 EBWR, 0.31 WR and 0.07 ERA; and the top 20pc with 11.8 YWT, 1.3 YFAT, and 17.4 YSL.

Speaking at the sale, Kerin Poll Merino stud principal Nigel Kerin said he was "stoked" with the run of rams they produced for the sale.

"I think the quality really showed throughout the sale, and that was evident from the last five lots, which nearly averaged $5000," he said.

"I think that shows in the clearance as well. We are very happy with the 100pc clearance.

"It also helped having a number of new buyers who bought really well.

"There were a lot of buyers out of southern NSW and Victoria, and they told me what their orders were like weeks before.

"I knew they were here to buy five or six rams, but once they went through the rams penned up, I think they were really happy with the quality and bought seven, eight, nine or 10."

Mr Kerin said the stud would be continuing to develop all of their rams ASBVs, but will be paying particular attention to increasing IMF through embryonic transfer and artificial insemination.

"If you understand where the world's going with an increased demand for eating quality, it is what our clients are going to want," he said.

"In that run of rams, there were three that are in the top 1pc in Australia for IMF.

"We've joined them already, and they've got lambs on the ground now. That's something we're going to be investing in heavily.

"We completed a big AI program last year, and this year it will be a lot bigger.

"We will be pretty much bringing it back to about seven sires over 2500 ewes, including the ewe lambs.

"And the reason we do that, and invest so much coin into that ET program and AI, is to keep lifting that data.

"As we lift the data, we lift the profitability of the sheep."

There was some strong volume buying with Warralong Pastoral, Coolac, purchasing 17 rams.

Warralong's David Carr said they run 7000 Merino ewes and around 3000 crosses.

He said what the team at Kerin is doing suits what he wants to achieve from his flock.

"I love the growth numbers. Nigel is bending that curve between wool and growth," he said.

"He's getting both of those traits onto the one sheep and that's so attractive for me.

"This is my first year coming to the sale.

"What he's doing with his numbers, and when you look at the fertility that he brings into his sheep - I just want my sheep to be like that.

"We wean about 120pc from what we join, but Nigel has a much higher number and I'm chasing that.

"I'd like to be at 130pc and that's the fertility that he's got."

Mr Carr said Kerin's focus going forward aligns with his operation.

"You are starting to really get paid a premium for IMF. Nigel's got IMF in spades here and he's looking to grow it," he said.

"It's a priority for him, and it's a priority for me.

"We live right near Gundagai Lamb and are a regular contributor to them, so I'm aware of how their algorithm works.

"I'm aware of what we have to do to deliver that and get the premium.

"You've basically got to give your flock enough time and the genetic capability to produce IMF.

"So if I can get that and I can give them time and can manage them well, I'll get paid a premium for their meat and I'm happy with that."

Mr Carr said he will use the rams he purchased from Kerin on his Merino maidens.

"We will join the best genetics to my best genetics and I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes," he said.

"If they come out looking like Nigel's, that'll be great."

The sale was conducted by Bowyer and Livermore Bathurst with Paul Dooley handling the auctioneer duties.