Forest Springs records a more than $700 jump in average price at annual sale

Rising lamb and mutton prices resulted in almost 70 rams clearing at Forest Springs Merino stud's on-property sale at Joel Joel.

The stud offered 80 Merino rams and sold 67 to a top price of $5000 and average price of $2582.

The average was up $723 on last year, when 48 rams sold out of 100 offered and fetched a top price of $5500.

Lot 29, a son of Forest Springs 230591, attracted the top bid from long-term clients Hugh Jackson, Jackson Ag, Beazleys Bridge.

The ram carried a 19.7-micron fleece, with 3.2 standard deviation, 16 coefficient of variation and 99.4 per cent comfort factor.

It recorded a carcase weight of 5.96 kilograms, a post-weaning weight of 8.86, yearling weight of 11.88 and a yearling eye muscle depth of 1.52.

Mr Jackson runs a mostly cropping operation, but has been coming to Forest Springs for the last five sales.

He said the ram would be joined to 80 ewes to build strong genetics for both wool and muscle among the flock.

"We're focused on the high eye muscle and longer fleece working their way in," he said.

"He stands up nice and tall, he has got a nice fleece wool on him."

Mr Jackson also bought the second top-priced ram, Lot 4, sired by Wallaloo Park 222773, for $4750.

The ram has a carcase weight of 4.29kg, while producing 18.1-micron wool with a 3.2 standard deviation.

Forest Springs stud principal Bruce Dean said the rams turned out well despite the very wet conditions.

Mr Dean said the improved average showed the sheep market was in a positive place.

"It shows the sheep job is back up, alive and well," he said.

"With the way crop costs are going, people are trying to get back into sheep."

Clearview Partners, Glengower, was the biggest volume buyer of the day, taking home eight rams for an average of $2812.

Clearview Partners co-owner Rod Seers said this was the operation's second year buying from Forest Springs.

Mr Seers said he was returning to the stud because of the strong results they achieved from their Forest Springs rams last year.

"We've had a good year and all the lambs have done well," he said.

"We like the size, the quality and they seem to do pretty well."

Mark Reading, Wallaloo East, bought six rams at his fifth Forest Springs sale.

Mr Reading said over the last few years, his cropping and grazing has shifted more to sheep as lamb and mutton prices improved.

"They do well in our side of the country, they are good-value rams," he said.

"Carcase weight is probably the big thing for me now, but they have a good cover as well, and with wool being where it is, it is a significant part of the operation now.

"You get a bit of both which is wonderful."

Elders stud stock manager for Victoria and the Riverina Ross Milne said the sale was "solid".

"We didn't have an extreme top, but it was a really good sale," Mr Milne said.

"It was pretty true to its average all the way through.

"The wool market has improved over the last 12 months on the back of strong prices being paid for mutton and lamb, and replacement ewes are making record prices, so there is a fair bit of confidence in the Merino."