Thalabah Merino and Poll Merino rams soar to three-year high top at sale
Traditional Merinos with returns in the bales and on the hook drew return buyers to Laggan for the Thalabah Merino and Poll Merino ram sale on Friday, October 31.
At the fall of the hammer, 58 of 80 rams sold to a $6000 top to average $1891, with a top price not seen since 2022.
The top-priced ram, Thalabah 442, was purchased by Schute Bell Badgery Lumby on behalf of an undisclosed client.
The June 2024-drop horned ram was by Thalabah and Glendonald 300 sire, and recorded a fibre diameter of 19.2 micron, with a standard deviation of 3.2 micron and a coefficient of variation of 16.7 per cent.
He also recorded a comfort factor of 99.5pc and an eye muscle depth (EMD) of 40.5 millimetres with a fat scan of 5.5mm.
The second top-priced ram was Thalabah P930, purchased by the McIntosh family, Carrabungla Merino, Laggan for $3750.
The September 2024-drop polled ram by Rangeview 'Lawry' via AI recorded a fibre diameter of 16.4 micron, a 3.1 micron SD and a 19pc CV with a 100pc CF.
Volume buyers Chris and Stephanie Croker, Ayrston, Golspie, both purchased six rams, and averaged $1850.
Mr Croker secured the exact number of rams he was looking for, to stay around a 19 micron range, and importantly, he said, to fill bales.
"The way things are changing with meat in the Merino lamb industry, I wanted a sheep with a good frame to put over," he said.
"My ewes currently have a reasonable frame over them so that I can perhaps meet the lamb market for the future and cut a good volume of wood. I'm getting that with these sheep.
"The secret is filling bales, and if you've got quality and the quantity, that's the trick."
Kenneth Arnall, Laggan, purchased five rams to average $1460, adding a sixth shortly after the auction concluded.
Mr Arnall said his rams would be put out with a 1800-head operation to keep improving the fine wool flock.
HH and DE Watts, Yeungroon, Vic, purchased four rams to average $1300 via Nutrien Saint Arnaud, headed south across the border.
Careva Pastoral Co., Crookwell, purchased Thalabah 11680 for $2500.
The September 2024-drop ram by a Thalabah Rangeview syndicate ram recorded a fibre diameter of 18 micron, a 3 micron SD and a 16.8pc CV with a 99.9pc CF. He recorded an EMD of 37mm, and a fat scan of 5mm.
Sam Frost, Thalabah, said he was very happy with the sale, meeting challenging conditions to offer a 'traditional-type' wool he said had gained international recognition.
"It's been encouraging to see just how well recognised the Thalabah wool has become," he said.
"The predictability of the type, breeding over 70 years, we've sort of kept that same traditional type throughout that whole time. large framed and a lot of wool cut to them. That's what a lot of people want to have, that cut to fill the bales."
The sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions, with Rick Power as auctioneer.
