Vic stud pays big money for Coolawang Border Leicester ram with reserve

An exceptional Border Leicester ram, which Coolawang stud had been reluctant to part with, has made the barnstorming top price of $17,000 at the stud's 24th annual ram sale at Mundulla West.

The placard on the pen stated that there was a reserve of $5000 on the Lot 1 ram, but given the strong pre-sale interest there was no fear of it not surpassing that amount.

The successful buyers were Tom and Tanaya Ferry, Carapugna stud, Geelong, Vic, who said the progeny of two previous Coolawang stud rams had given them the confidence to up the ante.

Mr Ferry - a third generation Border breeder - said the late July 2024 drop caught his eye immediately when they were inspecting the first five ram lots in the same pen.

"If you want to get serious you need to get serious sheep. There was no way he wasn't coming home with us," he said.

"He parades very well, it is a true Border Leicester head and true style of Border but with the carcase."

The under bidder was Stuart Hann, Nampara Pastoral Company, Lucindale.

Coolawang stud principal Trevor James said they wanted to continue the family bloodline and were reluctant to part with the Lot 1 ram.

"His sire (210138) that we sold to Tom Munro (Taronga Park, Hynam) in 2022 for $15,000 was one that we probably should have kept.

"Anyway, we kept semen and produced this son which we have used as a ram lamb.

"We really didn't want to part with him but we were prepared to offer him as long as we could keep some semen."

Mr James said the ram was an "excellent breed type", being well structured, good on his feet, well muscled and carrying an outstanding fleece.

"In this day and age with crossbred wool improving in price, wool quality is an issue," he said.

"Lot 1 was the stand out sheep for wool quality both in weight and micron."

Its other Lambplan figures included a post weaning weight of 9.03, eye muscle depth of 0.31 and intramuscular fat of 0.13.

Taronga Park bought the $5000 second highest priced ram at Lot 3.

In a much improved result on last year, the James family's ten stud rams averaged $4640, but there were still good buying opportunities.

Two other interstate studs purchased rams online, including Talbragar, Leadville, NSW which bought Lot 7 for a bargain $3000.

There were many familiar faces in the crowd who have become specialist first cross ewe sellers on Coolawang bloodlines, or are having success breeding their own first cross replacements.

This ensured a near total clearance of 144 flock rams for a $1495 average.

This was a huge lift from 2024 when 161 of 172 flock rams averaged $953.

Leading the charge was CR Pastoral, Woolumbool, which bought from Lot 15 to Lot 139, securing 25 rams for a $1716 average.

The Farley family, Marmon Pastoral, Jabuk, which bought 62 rams in 2024, scaled back their buying to 20 rams for a $1190 average.

New buyers the Francis family, Western Flat, secured 12 rams across two buying cards.

"We had seen how well the rams did for others so thought we would give them a go," Shaun Francis said.

Mr James was thrilled with the result, especially to only pass in one ram late in the sale.

"Compared to where we thought we would be three months ago and the change in season and livestock prices, we are ecstatic about the way the sale has gone," he said.

He said the first cross ewe mated to a terminal ram was still going to be one of the most important sheep enterprises going forward.

"This spring will see some excellent prices for second cross lambs, they (first cross ewes) can produce an export weight lamb on grass out of mum without needing a finishing system," he said.

Just over half of the specially selected ewes sold to the same two Vic buyers as 2024.

Vic Gippsland based contractor Travis Scott bought ewes for the third year in a row, including the two $1200 sale toppers - Lot 182A and lot Lot 183A.

They were from the pick of the pair section where the stud retained the ewe not selected.

"Trevor gives us a good look at what he would keep and he has done this again with the pick of a pair," Mr Scott said.

"For us to get our own little stud going it is a great leap forward genetically."

He said Coolawang's ewes also had the doing ability to perform in their sandy country.

"We had a look at Bendigo the last few years and looked at the sheep performing and all the sheep I liked this year were all by Coolawang sires," Mr Scott said.

They plan to register a Border Leicester stud before the end of the year.

The other ewe buyer was Haven Park, Wando Vale, Vic, which bought five lots at $600 each.

Elders SA stud stock manager Tony Wetherall - who was the sale's auctioneer - said the top end was strong but there was also "good buying for really good genetics".

There were rams knocked down for $800 to $1000.

"It was an exceptional line up, you could nearly tip the last half around to the front and it would not have looked out of place with the depth of quality so good," he said.

Mr Wetherall said there was no doubt commercially the rams performed and there were premiums for Coolawang blood first cross ewes in the market. This brought flock ram buyers back each year.

Elders Naracoorte conducted the sale.