Strong pastoral orders at Nyowee with rams to go throughout SA and into Vic
A shed packed with locals and regular buyers at Nyowee Poll Merino Stud, Balaklava, sale on Wednesday made for some good bidding.
Nyowee achieved a full clearance, offering and selling 144 rams, averaging $2248.
Lot 3 was the buyer's top pick this year, topping the sale at $10,750.
The ram, purchased by Julie and Darren Crouch, CLRS Trading Trust, Rhynie, stood at 126 kilogram and sired by a long-standing bloodline of Nyowee's - PK-113.
At 16-months-old he boasted a 19.2 micron fleece, with 2.7 standard deviation, 14.1 per cent coefficient of variation, 99.7pc comfort factor, as well as a 147pc greasy fleece weight, 45 milimetre eye muscle depth and 6.6mm fat.
Julie Crouch said the ram would breed lambs in their commercial lamb enterprise.
"We selected him for the wool quality and style, and being neighbours, we know they do well in our country," Mrs Crouch said.
"He's a nice square ram which will also benefit the meat side of our commercial lambs being around 1600 ewes.
"We aim to get our wool 18 to 20 micron."
The Crouch family have been buying from Nyowee since the stud formed 27 years ago. This year they bought six rams averaging $3808.
Nyowee Poll Merino stud principal Ian Michael said this particular ram had been on display at the Royal Adelaide Show.
"The top ram is by a bloodline that's been going here in the stud for probably more than 30 years," Mr Michael said.
"It was a really successful day and we had great clearance."
The second top ram, Lot 5, sired by Nyowee W Family, sold to GA & CR Johnson, Peake, for $7250.
He weighed 132kg, with fleece figures of 20.8 micron, 2.4SD, 11.6pc CV, and 99.8pc CF.
The Johnson family bought three rams, averaging $4283.
A total of 33 buyers registered for the day. Volume buyers included John Gall & Co, via Broken Hill, buying 20 and averaging $1600; LN & SM Bury & Sons, Port Augusta, bought 17, averaging $1829; and Boullia Station, via Broken Hill, bought 14, averaging $1400.
With a number of rams available for bulk pastoralist orders, Mr Michael said it was good to see return clients.
"They're obviously having a terrific season, probably one of the best seasons for many years, so they're starting to gather a few ewes, hence they'll buy some rams," he said.
"Next year is going to be really exciting, I think there might be a few more ewes around."
Elders conducted the auction, with Tony Wetherall and Conor Lamond taking bids.
Mr Wetherall said with 70 years of breeding behind them, Nyowee has "very strong" genetics, producing productive sheep.
"They're big, they've got good carcass quality, terrific wool, and plenty of wool without overcomplicating their bodies," he said.
