O'Brien sale topper heads to South East during successful ram auction

The main auction clearance increased by 11 rams at the O'Brien annual Dohne and Poll Merino ram sale on Thursday.

Held at the Wudinna Showgrounds by stud principal Darren O'Brien, Kyancutta, a total of 64 out of 75 rams were knocked down to a $2171 avergae, up from the 2025 result of 53 of 72 rams sold to a $2086 average.

Topping the sale at $12,000 was Lot 9, sired by Wallaloo Park 220960.

The ram was Dohne influenced with 74 per cent Poll Merino breeding, weighed 109 kilograms and was single-born.

It was a trait leader for growth, with post-weaning weight and yearling weights both in the top five per cent at 10.81 and 13.47, while his adult weight was in the top 10pc at 10.57 and the weaning weight was in the top 20pc at 6.09.

The ram was purchased by Mark and Angas Richardson, Boothby Downs Partners, Tintinara, with a plan to breed rams for their own operation.

Angas said they had visited the O'Brien site at the South East Stud Merino Field Day at Keith last week and made the trip over specifically to purchase it.

"He's got a good spread of data, nice wool, good structure and a square back end," he said.

"We breed our own rams, so he'll go over about 100 ewes at home and breed on for us."

In a mini Helmsman auction, 23 from 59 rams were sold, to an average of $1034 and top of $1600.

Rams will travel to their new homes as far as Kangaroo Island, the South East and the Adelaide Hills, as well as locally across the Eyre Peninsula.

"There have been a few new faces in the crowd from that Upper South East region and Kangaroo Island," Nutrien stud stock auctioneer Gordon Wood said.

"People are coming from a long way to find these O'Brien sheep and they're performing wherever they go.

"Darren has identified that there's more issue around the feet shape than there is around pasterns, so they're doing some really good work with that and doing a heap of work with the universities.

"They're turning every stone to try and find the right sheep to make them more profitable for their clientele and it's being recognised."

Mr O'Brien said while he didn't achieve a full clearance, there was plenty of confidence around the shed.

"We're lacking the ewe numbers to get into the big clearances, but we're happy with the result," he said.

"We pushed early growth a lot, that's coming through in our (Australian Sheep Breed Values) so it's there for those who want it."

The stud retained semen rights to the top price ram, which they had already used as a ram lamb.

"He's got promising DNA, so we're looking forward to his progeny," he said.

"He's got data everywhere, but he's actually got relatively low fat but really high (intramuscular fat).

"I think that could be something we have to start looking at if we want to push weights in the feedlots."

Tynan Sampson, Karingavale Farming, Warramboo, who farms with his parents Darren and Charmaine and wife Darcy, was the volume buyer on the day, picking up eight rams to an average of $1325.

Mr Sampson said he was pleased with the sale and was able to buy a few extra rams.

"I might go through my rams and replace a few older ones," he said.

"I like the bigger, woolier rams with a micron of around 18 or 19.

"They'll come back to the farm and get a shear in a few weeks before they go into the paddock around January 1."

Omaroo Ag, Kyancutta, also picked up eight rams, at an average of $1150.

Looking ahead, Mr O'Brien has a lot on the cards.

"We're involved in a couple of projects through PIRSA to push weaning rates and post-weaning rates with ASBVs to reduce methane by increasing production," he said.

"We'll be on the hunt for some really high weaning rate rams this year."

Nutrien Wudinna was the duty agent, with Mr Wood at the rostrum.