Return clients buy in bulk at Tallawong Merino and Poll Merino ram sale
Long term repeat buyers underpinned Tallawong Merino and Poll Merino's on-property sale near Yass on Tuesday, October 14.
At the fall of the hammer, 111 of 131 rams sold to a top of $7000 to average $2329.
Further rams were also sold following the auction.
The top-priced ram, Tallawong 240165, sold for $7000 to Michael Shanahan, Tidbinbilla, Tharwa, ACT.
The ram had a fibre diameter of 16.6 micron, 2.4 micron standard deviation, 14.5 per cent coefficient of variation and a comfort factor of 99.8pc. He ranked in the top 5pc of the breed for yearling fibre diameter (YFD) at -2.9 and in the top 20pc of the breed on the wool production index at +180.
Mr Shanahan bought 19 rams to average $2776.
"We had our sheep selected out, and he was one, and we'd already let a few go, and if we let him go, then maybe we weren't going to get our quota [of 20]," he said.
"We just liked the fineness of these. They've got to be white and fine for us."
The rams will be joined in the first week of April 2026, pushing for a five to six kilogram wool cut with a goal to average 16 micron for wethers.
Mr Shanahan also secured the second top priced ram, Tallawong 240476, for $6000. By Tallawong 220163, the ram also ranked in the top 5pc for YFD and fleece weight index, with a micron of 16.3, 2.4 SD and 14.7 CV.
Volume buyer Mick Reynolds, Toompang, Young, purchased 19 rams to average $2737.
"I classed my rams quite heavily this year, which is why I had to buy a few more than usual," he said.
"I'm selecting for a bit more earlier growth, to bring my yearling weight up ... trying to get a really balanced animal, where they cut lots of fine wool and can still turn them off into the lamb market if we want to."
Michelle and Jeremy Southwell, Eden Brae Pastoral, Rye Park, secured 13 rams, which averaged $1980.
William Picker, Bigga, purchased three rams to a $2833 average, including Tallawong 240649. By Tallawong 200508, the ram had a fibre diameter of 16.3 micron, 2.5 SD and 15.2 CV, and recorded a YFD in the top 1pc of the breed at -3.9, with a fleece weight index in the top 20pc at +182.
Stud principal Frank Kaveney said competitive bidding from repeat buyers put a floor in prices, while commercial breeders across the state recovered from poor weather and market prices.
"The last couple of years, we've had a very tough autumn and winter, where a lot of people have had to hand-feed. Prior to that, mutton prices were very low ... the cash flow is not there from earlier on," he said.
"Now mutton's up and wool's up, and we've had very, very strong support from really good regular clients, and they've fought very competitively, particularly on the top rams."
Mr Kaveney said he believed the industry was turning a corner.
"Low numbers in Australia generally should help both the wool market and the mutton market, so they might stay up for longer than they might have otherwise done ... that's all positive, things are looking up," he said.
"We've been focusing on putting a little bit more into better carcases and better growth, and we've achieved that without compromising the wool quality at all.
"I'm impressed with the way every year they truly have got a little bit better."
The sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions with Rick Power as auctioneer.
