Repeat buyers strong at Grassy Creek Merinos ram sale

Strong repeat support underpinned the Grassy Creek Merinos ram sale held near Boorowa on Monday, October 13.

At the fall of the hammer, a total of 153 of 180 Merino and Poll Merino rams on offer sold to a top price of $12,500 and for an average of $3417.

A further 10 rams were sold immediately following the auction.

The top-priced ram was Grassy Creek 240016, which sold for $12,500 to Goorama Pty Ltd, Galong.

The PH ram, by Grassy Creek 200102, recorded a fibre diameter of 16.3 micron with 2.5 micron standard deviation, 15.4 per cent coefficient of variation, 99.9pc comfort factor and a greasy fleece weight percentage of 192pc.

He ranked in the top 20pc for yearling fibre diameter with a figure of -2.2.

Michael Corkhill, Grassy Creek, said the ram, by a top-performing homebred sire which they sold in 2021, had attracted a lot of interest at various shows.

"He's a big modern Merino with plenty of stretch, plenty of body shape and really good loch structure," he said.

Goorama also secured the second top-priced ram, Grassy Creek 240832, for $10,000.

The PP ram, by HAZ22-2350, was 16.3 micron with 2.5 micron SD, 15.0pc CV, 99pc CF and 117pc GFW.

He ranked in the top 10pc for YFD with a figure of -2.5.

Goorama purchased a total of five rams for an average of $8300.

A feature of the sale was Grassy Creek 240419, which sold for the equal third top-price of $8500 to Craigmoor Partnership, Goulburn, with a percentage of the proceeds going towards the Peter Westblade Scholarship.

The other ram to reach $8500 was Grassy Creek 240235, which was purchased by Burge Ag, Cootamundra.

Another notable sale was Grassy Creek 240054, which sold for $6000 to long-term repeat buyers GM and PM Hallam, Gunning.

The PP ram, by Lach 220118, was 18.1 micron with 2.9 micron SD, 17.3pc CV, 99.6CF and 179pc GFW.

He also ranked in the top 10pc for YFD with a figure of -2.7.

Buyer Gary Hallam said the ram appealed to him for his wool character and quality.

"He's a good plain-bodied sheep," he said.

Mr Hallam said they had been buying from Grassy Creek for about 17 years, opting for heavy cutting rams mostly about 17 micron.

"We've been very happy with them and had pleasing results with improving the wool cut and body," he said.

Mr Hallam said the rams go into their operation where they run about 3000 ewes and also breed most of their own rams, focused on both wool and breeding first-cross lambs.

"We're aiming to breed bigger bodied ewes and early developing sheep for the first-cross market," he said.

Grassy Creek Merino sale

Pictures by Alexandra Bernard

A volume buyer of the sale was repeat buyers Hugh, Fran and Hamish Flanery, Flandan Farming, Galong, advised by Mitch Rubie, Rubie Livestock Advancement, who purchased 12 rams to average $4521.

Hugh Flanery said they were chasing heavy cutting rams with good carcase weight, early growth and finer micron.

Mr Flanery said they run about 3100 ewes, 60pc self-replacing and 40pc terminals, in a mixed farming operation, focused equally on wool and lamb production.

He said they had been buying from Grassy Creek for about five years with rams having performed well for them.

"The sheep are cutting well and have a great micron," he said.

"The wethers have early growth and are turning off well - especially on the grazing crop they're doing really well."

Mr Corkhill said he was ecstatic and grateful with the sale result, particularly with the tougher season in the south.

"The top end of the rams sold very well - there were some terrific sheep in there," he said.

Mr Corkhill said he was pleased with the interest from both stud and commercial buyers from NSW and Victoria.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions and Elders, with Rick Power, Nutrien Stud Stock, and Aaron Seaman, Elders, sharing the rostrum.