Buyers get a sneak peak at season's sale rams at southern Merino field day
Pictures supplied
Merino breeders and enthusiasts flocked to five different sheep studs across south-west Victoria on Friday to see the rams and ewes on display at the annual Southern Victorian Merino Field Day.
The various Merino and Poll Merino studs that make up the Southern Victorian Merino Breeders Association (SVMBA) have either on-property ram sales coming up in the next week or held private/helmsman sales during the open day.
The studs with upcoming sales had their offering of rams penned up for prospective buyers to get an early look ahead of sale day.
The studs involved were Stud Park South Merinos, Willaura, Wurrook Merinos, Rokewood, Coryule Merinos, Willowvale, Ioness Poll Merinos, Lake Bolac, and Mount Challicum Merinos, Ballyrogan.
Stud Park South won the pen of three sale rams competition.
The pens were judged by Illabarook sheep producer George McKenzie, who was driven around by former SVMBA president Graeme Harvey.
"The usual high standard was there in the studs that participated," Mr Harvey said.
Mount Challicum held its on-property sale during the field day.
Kicking off at 3pm, the sale offered 29 rams and sold 32 for an average of $1648 and a top price of $5700.
The top-priced ram, Lot 1, was a two-year-old who won the champion ultrafine ram at the Victorian Sheep Show at Ballarat earlier this year.
