Healthy average achieved at Glenville's 65th annual on-property auction
With their top price hitting $6500 and a full clearance achieved at their on-property ram sale, Glenville Poll Merino stud principal Daryl Smith was chuffed with the result.
Following several dry and negative years, Mr Smith was pleased to have presented the rams he did for the day's sale - the result was just the icing on top.
It didn't take long to hit a high note, with Lot 1 making $6500, purchased by Carunna Vale Poll Merino Stud, Jamestown.
The ram, sired by Glenville 231026, carried a 20.6 micron fleece, with a standard deviation of 3.3, coefficient of variation of 16.3 and comfort factor of 99.3 per cent.
Carunna Vale wool broker and Nutrien SA Wool Manager Adrian Dewell said the Hall family purchased the ram as a sire for the stud.
He suited the breeding characteristics they were looking for and had the desirable traits they wanted to take back to their stud.
"So good wool types, good body structure and good confirmation," Mr Dewell said.
The Hall family have purchased from Glenville for more than 10 years.
Glenville offered and sold 120 rams in the main auction to a top of $6500 and averaged $2714, this average was up nearly $700 on last year's sale.
In the mini auction, 27 rams were offered and sold to a top of $2200 and averaged $1370.
Both studs and commercial breeders were active including auctions plus there were 49 registered bidders which included four new buyers.
Alma Stud Hay NSW purchased 3 to a top of $6000.
Taking home 23 rams, volume buyers, brothers Paul and Darren Smith, Belton, with agent John Sheehan, Orroroo, said they'd been rebuilding their flock numbers.
Paul said they'd had 100 milimetres more than their average rainfall for the year and these rams would support their breeding program.
Other volume buyers were Mundallio Port Augusta 8; CE & ME Mccallum, Melrose, 7; WJ Sampson & sons Warramboo 7; Woolawae, Edillie, 7; Hornsdale, Jamestown, 6; Barmont Streaky Bay 6 and Cambourn, Arno Bay 6.
Glenville Poll Merino principal Daryl Smith was "blown away" by the sale.
"There's a bit of confidence in the job and we're rapt that we sold everything," Mr Smith said.
"It was way beyond what we expected.
"We're just trying to keep quality wool on a carcass that's got plenty of meat on it."
Mr Smith said the inclusion of ASBV'S eight years ago has helped speed up their breeding program with some great carcase and wool combinations coming through.
Celebrating the stud's 65th on-property auction, Mr Smith said they'd come a long way since the days of horn rams to "basically all polls" in the past decade.
"The sheep, in general, are quicker maturing than what they used to be, they get off the ground early allowing for a faster turnoff and less feeding," he said.
Mr Smith's "excited" for what's to come next year after a strong lambing and still had about 100 rams available for private sale.
"We've got 600 more lambs out of near the same number of ewes...our lambing percentage was massive, which will increase selection pressure for next year," Mr Smith said.
"If the industry stays where it is, the next few years will be really exciting for anybody in the Merino industry."
The sale was conducted by Nutrien and Elders and interfaced with Auctions Plus.
Nutrien stud stock agent Gordon Wood said a full clearance was a solid result for the Smith family, considering the ewe flock across the state was still diminished.
"They do a great job of presenting their sheep," Mr Wood said.
"To see the likes of the Smiths at Belton come back in and having a real crack at rebuilding their flock is really heartening.
"The success of this sale over the years is that great blend between the inside country, people who need those three to 10 rams every year, and also those pastoralists that could need up to 100 rams every year - that creates a really strong buying fraternity."
Elders stud stock manager Tony Wetherall was equally complimentary and said the Glenville ram was a big shape carrying "really good" wools, with plenty of carcase quality.
