High commodity prices have buyers bidding up at Trigger Vale in full clearance

High lamb prices and a strong wool market injected confidence into the Trigger Vale Poll Merino and White Suffolk ram sale.

Held at Lockhart on Friday, September 4, there was a full clearance of all 336 rams on offer with rams sold to NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

In the breakdown, 240 Poll Merino rams sold to a top price of $17,000 and for an average of $4578 while 96 White Suffolk ram hit a top of $4800 to average $2385.

The top-priced Merino ram was Trigger Vale 250155, which sold for $17,000 to long-term repeat buyer J and M McDonnell and Sons, Brookong.

The 16-month-old ram, sired by TV 200081, had fleece measuring 19.1 micron with a greasy fleece weight percentage of 129pc.

He had Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) in the top 5pc for post weaning weight (PWT) with a figure of +11.2, late dag (LDAG) at -0.7, condition score (CS) at +0.5 and a maternal-plus lamb index (ML) at +153.

The ram also ranked in the top 10pc for yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW) and weaning rate (WR) with figures of +35.8 and +0.31 respectively.

Trigger Vale ram sale

Pictures by Alexandra Bernard

Buyer Rodney McDonnell, Brookong, said his conformation stood out.

"He's my kind of sheep," he said.

"He's big-boned, quick-maturing and a front row in the saleyards type of sheep."

Mr McDonnell said the ram would be used in their operation where they run 4500 Poll Merino ewes with lambs sold from nine-months and older through the Wagga Wagga saleyards.

He said the cast-for-age ewes are joined to White Suffolk rams.

As well as picking up some rams from Trigger Vale for many years to improve genetics, Mr McDonnell says they also breed their own rams for their own use, running about 230 stud ewes.

"We've been non-mulesed for about eight years now and we're breeding barer breech sheep," he said.

Trigger Vale stud principal Andrew Bouffler said the top-priced ram was "the most impactful ram" with great numbers.

He said the stud would have retained him, but already had several other rams from the same sire.

"He's got early growth, fat and muscle," he said.

"He's an outstanding ram phenotypically and has outstanding bright white wool."

The second top-priced ram was TV 250798, which sold for $16,000 to Sunbury Park Pty Ltd, Lockhart.

The 16-month-old, triplet-born ram, sired by TV 200081, was 17.3 micron with 110pc GFW.

He ranked in the top 5pc for PWT with a figure of +12.7, yearling eye muscle depth (YEMD) at +3.5, yearling staple length (YSL) at +22.8, WR at +0.35 and ML at +155.

The ram also ranked in the top 10pc for YCFW with a figure of +33.6.

Another notable sale was TV 250390, which sold for $11,500 to a buyer Uondo Pastoral, via AuctionsPlus.

The 16-month-old, twin-born ram, sired by TV 231697, was 17.1 micron with a GFW of 127pc.

He ranked in the top 10pc for PWT with a figure of +10.7, CS at +0.4 and ML at +148.

In the White Suffolk draft, the top-priced ram was TV 3087, which sold for $4800 to Norman Industries, Illabo.

Volume buyers included PR and WJ Webb, Tumut, who purchased 18 White Suffolk rams to a top of $2800 and for an average of $2200.

Springfield Pty Ltd, Grenfell, took home 15 Poll Merino rams to a top of $4000 and for an average of $2630.

AG Murray, Lightning Ridge, purchased 14 Poll Merino rams to a top of $4500 and an average of $3607.

Clutterback, Edenhope, Vic, bought 10 Poll Merino and two White Suffolk rams to a top of $5000, to average $3600.

Mangoplah Station, Mangoplah, took home nine Poll Merino rams to a top of $4500, averaging $4278.

Allan C Jacka and Son, Jamestown, SA, purchased six Poll Merino rams to a top of $6500, to average $5750.

Mr Bouffler said he was "overwhelmed and humbled" by the sale result, with both the Poll Merinos and White Suffolks well received.

"We knew it was going to be strong with the strength of the industry at the moment," he said.

"All things are firing, the season and the commodity prices."

Mr Bouffler said about 30pc of the buyers were new, with the rams being non-mulesed attracting attention, following the AVA's recent policy update.

He said while the wool market was also strong, clients were heavily focused on growth traits with those rams with fat and carcase in demand.

"They're looking for lots of lambs and faster-growing lambs," he said.

The sale was conducted by Elders and Francis and Co, with Ryan Bajada and Harry Cozens, Elders, sharing the rostrum for the Poll Merinos, while Alex Croker, Francis and Co, sold the White Suffolks.

AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.