Top Old Ashrose rams to make their way to station country

A busy day at Old Ashrose Merino and Poll Merino stud's annual auction also saw White Suffolk rams being offered for the final time.

It was Lot 4 in the main sale though, a Poll Merino ram, which took the top dollar at $11,500.

Buying the ram, Ed Morgan, Mutooroo Pastoral Company said this particular ram's wool figures stood out to him.

"We ended up with four sires for our stud program at Mutooroo Station," Mr Morgan said.

"He was really, really white in his wool, it was really well crimped and we think that crimp is going to stand up on the pastoral conditions at home.

"He is a beautifully balanced ram, he's really high on the fleece weight behind the body weight as well compared to this whole flock."

Featuring heavy bone and strong muzzles, too, Mr Morgan said Lots 2, 3 and 13 also fit the bill for what they were looking for.

They bought four rams, averaging $7937.

Lot 4, sired by Manunda 470, weighed in at just under 140 killograms, with fleece figures of 20.8 for micron, a 2.8 standard variation, 13.5 per cent coefficient of variation and 99.8pc comfort factor.

"It's a great time to be buying good genetics for everyone in the pastoral zone to try and bring the genetics forward," Mr Morgan said.

Old Ashrose stud principals Nick and Kate Wadlow offered 79 White Suffolks with 73 of those selling to a top of $4200, averaging $1299.

Mr Wadlow said the family had decided, through a business restructure, to focus on their Merinos.

"We're a bit sad about that...we had them for 10 years, they were fantastic," Mr Wadlow said.

"I would like to thank all of our buyers and supporters over those 10 years, they really stuck by us and supported us from the start to the end."

Speaking on the top ram, Mr Wadlow said he was one of the heaviest and heaviest wool cutters at 133pc. He is also sired by the same ram as the Wadlow's 2026 Royal Adelaide Show supreme Merino ram, 'Roy'.

"He's just breeding our type and is very similar to our sire," Mr Wadlow said.

"It's been wonderful, the last few weeks, we are pretty lucky to top it off with a good sale.

"It's nice to see everyone's had some rain and had a good season, which really helps things and the wool price and the lamb price...it's not often you get it all at once."

Overall, Mr Wadlow was proud of the rams the team were able to put on display.

"We think they keep getting better every year," he said.

"They resemble what we're trying to do, structurally correct, plenty of wool on them, able to walk around the bush and make you guys lots of money."

A number of pastoralists purchased from Old Ashrose, with some new faces sprinkled in the crowd.

Volume buyers included Oulnina Nominees, Mannahill, who bought 18, averaging $1777; JG&S Weckert, Clare, bought nine, averaging $2538; and Yellowie Props, Canowie, bought eight, averaging $1712.

In the main auction, 94 Poll Merino rams were offered and sold to a top of $11,500, averaging $2687; six Merinos were offered and sold to a top of $2200, averaging $1666.

While in the mini auction all 20 Poll Merino rams offered were sold to a top of $3000, averaging $1645.

The sale was conducted by Elders with Tony Wetherall the auctioneer, who said the rams were quality - from lot one to 100 - and had suitability to do their job anywhere across the state.

"They are absolutely a magnificent team of rams, you can certainly buy with confidence with what's in front of you today," he said.