Bigger orders from regular buyers boost Sharlu Park ram sale

The ambition to expand their farming enterprise into pastoral country fueled a regular top end ram buyer at Sharlu Park Merino and Poll Merino to set his sights on more rams at this year's on-property sale.

B Schiller Livestock, Australia, was the volume buyer and purchaser of the top price ram at Sharlu Park, Frankton via Truro, with Ben Schiller saying the business was in a growth phase and wanting build up serious sheep numbers as they eyed off expansion into pastoral districts.

While they used to mate old ewes to Suffolk sires, the Schillers are currently all in on Merinos as they look to retain ewe lambs.

All wether lambs will be finished in their on-farm feedlot.

The Schillers fought off serious competition to secure Lot 5 at $8500 and finished with nine rams overall, averaging $3066.

It was in the midst of a successful sale for Sharlu Park's Saegenschnitter family, who sold 68 of 70 rams under the hammer, averaging $1906.

Even with 18 more rams in this year's catalogue, they eclipsed 2025's average by $212.

The son of a Kamballie sire, the $8500 ram weighed 123 kilograms, with fleece figures of 18.3 on micron, a 3.2 standard deviation, 17.6 per cent coefficient of variation, 99.7pc comfort factor, and 5.2 kilogram greasy fleece weight.

As well as the ram's considerable frame and carcase and obvious dual purpose lure, Mr Schiller said its wool was a big attraction.

The Schillers look for rams under 19 micron and aim to produce 18 micron wool in their flock to achieve a premium price.

Rams high in the catalogue also attracted strong competition, with Lot 7 knocked down at $5000 to SW&SM Heidrich, through Spence Dix & Co, while Lot 12 made $5000 to Oakfarms Merino and Poll Merino stud, Buckleboo.

The stud purchased ram weighed 100kg, with fleece figures of 21.8 on micron, a 3.4SD, 15.4pc CV, 98.9pc CF and a greasy fleece weight of 5.3kg.

The Heidrich ram weighed 121kg with a 21.2 micron fleece, with 3.5SD, 17.9pc CV, 98.9pc CF and a greasy fleece weight of 6.4kg.

In terms of volume buyers, Zaroma Pty Ltd, Streaky Bay, secured six rams to head to the west coast, averaging $1600, while Nundara Pastoral, through Elders Broken Hill, bought six rams, averaging $1000.

RW Miller, through Spence Dix & Co bought five rams, averaging $1930, while seven buyers all finished with three rams apiece.

Sharlu Park principal Andrew Saegenschnitter thought the sale went well against his expectations.

"With where the wool game and meat game is, we expected it to go well. It was good to see a few new buyers here and a lot of return buyers who were after some more rams than normal," he said.

Mr Saegenschnitter said a feature of the sale was the first offering of 20 Kamballie sons (including the $8500 top ram), a ram from WA that stems back to a Glenlea Park sire.

As for future goals, the Saegenschnitters want to keep up their wool cut and make sure the fleece is on a big, correct frame.

Elders and Nutrien conducted the sale, with Tony Wetherall and Andrew Wilson sharing the auctioneering lectern.