LAST year’s top of $30,000 at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show Merino ram sale is this year’s target.
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Organisers are hoping the buoyed wool market will replicate the 2015 turnover with a similar number of rams on offer to last year, where 93 rams of the 109 on offer were sold.
Pat Millear, of Stud Park South at Willaura, Victoria, notched the $30,000 top bid, paid for a young Wallalloo Park Real Deal son, offered by Graham and Susan Coddington, Coddington Uardry stud, Yeoval, NSW.
Last year’s sale averaged $3464, which Elders stud stock manager Ross Milne said vendors aimed to improve this year, matched by a solid clearance.
This year, 32 studs from NSW and Victoria are offering 93 rams and one ewe for auction.
Mr Milne said the Merino ram sale offered stud and commercial enterprises the opportunity to source the best breeding stock – with generations of expert selective breeding.
“It is a high profile sale on the Merino calendar and we look forward to a good offering of rams that will represent the stud industry as well as rams with good commercial relevance,” he said.
“Hopefully the sound seasonal conditions across the eastern seaboard will help us achieve the good positive outcomes for the sale, as well as ram sales in the spring.
“The season is looking pretty good generally in Victoria, NSW and South Australia, so most people are happy with that amount of rain up to present.”
Mr Milne expected sheep with good carcass attributes, leading fertility production and elite wool production to be sought after at the sale.
Victorian Stud Merino Sheepbreeders’ Association secretary Andrew Ternouth said buyers were able to view rams on offer on Sunday, July 17, and discuss their breeding with vendors and agents.
“Merinos are now becoming recognised as a true, universally multi-purpose animal; we expect a large interest in the sale,” Mr Ternouth said.
Committee president and Oakbank stud principal Warren McRae, St Arnaud, who is offering three rams in the sale, said with sheep meat and wool markets performing better than other commodities, buyers were expected to compete for the highest performing genetics.
“Wool and sheep are doing well at the moment and with the outlook for the season improving, it should be a good sale,” Mr McRae said.
Merryville Stud, Boorowa, NSW, is the largest vendor in the sale, with 10 lots on offer.
- The 17th Australian Merino multivendor ram sale is on Monday, July 18, at the Bendigo Exhibition Centre
- 32 studs from NSW and Victoria will be offering 93 rams and one ewe
- For more information, go to www.sheepshow.com