High demand for fat and muscle at Outback MPM's sell-out ram sale

A first-time South Australian buyer set the pace at Outback MPM's annual ram sale at The Marra on Monday, September 14, nabbing the top-priced ram in a 100 per cent clearance.

Outback MPM sold 203 rams from 203 offered to average $2372 and topping at $12,000.

T & L Graetz Trust, Mundulla, SA, secured tag 250659 after bidding remotely. While it was the commercial operation's first purchase from Outback MPM, stud principal Richie Steele said the buyer had been in contact with the stud previously.

"He was looking for growth and a sound wool. Fat and muscle on a sound wool," Mr Steele said of the buyer's brief.

The 18.3 micron Poll Merino ram by Outback 231772 has recorded Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) of 5.77 for post-weaning weight, 8.83 for yearling weight, 1.81 for yearling fat, 2.98 for yearling eye muscle depth, 25.27 for yearling staple length - in the top 5 per cent of the breed - and 28.88 per cent for yearling clean fleece weight. His yearling fibre diameter ASBV was -0.40.

Mr Steele said he was very happy with the full clearance and the geographic spread of buyers.

"I thought everyone got really good value," he said.

In a separate offering ahead of the ram run, Outback MPM's 660 Merino future breeder ewe lambs sold in three pens of 220, all to Hardie Pastoral Co.

The pens made $410, $410 and $402 a head to average $407.33 and gross $268,840.

The result stopped just short of the $421 record Outback MPM set on AuctionsPlus with a ewe offering in June this year.

Hardie Pastoral Co's buying continued into the ram sale, with the operation securing 23 rams as well as the charity ram.

Lot 4, tag 251566, a son of Outback 231590, sold for $3000 to Hardie Pastoral Co, with proceeds along with associated selling costs donated to the family of the late Ronald "Hobbo" Hobden, who died on September 1 after a long battle with motor neurone disease - progressive bulbar palsy.

Beyond the $12,000 sale topper, a pair of rams shared the second-top price at $6500.

Tag 250332, a son of OB220507, was bought by Ashley Pfitzner, Bordertown, SA, while tag 250731 sold to AJ & KJ Johnson, Naradhan.

Joey and Catherine Goldsmith, together with their son Ollie, were among the biggest volume buyers, taking home 26 rams for their Coonamble district operation.

The family joins about 3500 Merino ewes and selects on ASBVs while also placing a strong emphasis on resilience and survivability.

"We like to focus on EMD and fat," Mr Goldsmith said.

The family has been buying Outback MPM genetics for many years and said Mr Steele had become a mentor to their operation.

"We wouldn't go anywhere else," Mr Goldsmith said.

The performance of the MPM genetics has also prompted a change to the Goldsmiths' shearing program.

After previously shearing annually and then moving to an eight-month interval, the family is preparing to shear every six months as the sheep grow wool more quickly.

They are aiming to maintain a minimum staple length of 65 millimetres while shearing more regularly.

The Goldsmiths have also moved into Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certification, with Mr Steele influential in encouraging the family down that path.

Outback MPM, The Marra; 2026 on-farm sale

Plenty of old and new buyers were in attendance at the Outback MPM ram sale

Doug Lisle, Ingleholme, Walcha, returned for his sixth Outback MPM sale, taking 15 rams to a top of $4250 and average $2350, selecting for carcase and wool traits.

"Fat, muscle, early growth and staple length," he said of what draws him back.

Fred Masman, Wamerawa, Carinda, has been buying the bloodline since the early 2000s and secured 11 rams this year to $2500, averaging $1173.

"Plenty of wool, plenty of meat," Mr Masman said.

"You don't quite get those bigger wool cuts you see off the traditional sheep, but you definitely get plenty of wool, and plenty of meat."

He said the sheep's easy-care attributes, fly resistance and ability to forage were also important to his operation.

Mr Steele said he was particularly pleased to see long-term clients return alongside new buyers, with rams heading to a wide area.

He said almost all of Outback MPM's clients were now involved in RWS certification.

Former stud owner Peter McKid, who retired to the coast after Mr Steele took on the sheep operation in 2019, also returned for the sale.

Mr McKid said it was pleasing to see the operation continue to perform and noted Mr Masman had been among the early clients of the bloodline.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Livestock, with John Settree and Brad Wilson sharing the auctioneering duties, and AuctionsPlus providing the online interface.