Koole Vale Merino and Poll Merino sale reflects seasonal, market conditions

The Costerfield stud offered 50 Merinos and Poll Merinos and 40 White Suffolks.

It ended up selling 26 of the 50 Merinos and Poll Merinos, for an average of $1361, and 18 of the 40 White Suffolks, to a top of $1000 and average of $911.

Mr Harris said he wasn't surprised the animal was chosen by Toollen wool growers and prime lamb producers Roger Kemp and daughter Annalise Johnson.

"Roger and Annalise like that bold type of wool and I'm not surprised he made top price," he said.

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"It's a good heavy wool, we have actually kept his twin brother because he has a lot of breeding in him."

The top-priced ram, lot 4, was an AI sired twin by Belbourie 1170, of the Banavie/Pealer line.

He had a 19.4 micron fleece, a standard deviation of 3.2 per cent, co-efficient of variation of 16.7pc and comfort factor of 99.5pc.

The ram weighed 97.5 kilograms, had an eye muscle depth of 37 millimetres, eye muscle depth of 37mm and eye muscle width of 80mm.

His eye muscle area measured 22.79 square centimetres.

Mr Harris said last years heavy rain meant the property had faced problems with worms.

"These rams were very light, come January, with the big rain and long, dry grass, but conditions are very good now," he said.

"For a tough year, it looks pretty good, right now, but we'll want a good rain in the next week or two."

Mr Harris said the response on the top rams was pleasing, with several bidders going head-to-head on the early lots.

"Repeat clients wanted to buy the best rams," he said.

He was philosophical about the sale outcome.

"The industry is really battling to find its feet, at the minute, it's just where it's at - season wise and market wise, for that matter," Mr Harris said.

"People are just sitting back waiting, I think

"In years like this, they buy later, they haven't quite made their mind up yet - just like the season."

Mr Kemp said the ram best suited the micron wool he was producing in his current operation.

"He had reasonable density and good wool cut," Mr Kemp said.

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"It's a good year to buy good quality rams, because there is not the demand - that's the main reason for buying a couple of extra this year."

He said he usually bought "one or two rams" from Koole Vale, each year.

"The ram will help our wool cut and probably its quality," he said.

The property running a 2500 ewe self-replacing Merino flock, and producing prime lambs from rams with a "reasonable frame."

"The ram fell within the micron we were looking for, there were good ones here that were finer and others that were a little bit stronger - but we really liked that one," he said.

The conditions at Toollen were starting to dry out - "we really need a drink of water in the next few days to give us a bit more dry feed, in the summertime.

"Up until now the season has been going really well."

Mr Kemp said he had also bought two rams at Bellbourie, on the same day.

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Elders Bendigo livestock manager Nigel Starick said the sale was slow, but a number of rams were cleared after the auction ended.

"It's going to be one of those years were people are selling off a lot more sheep, potentially, than they normally would so rams are in as high a demand," Mr Starick said.

"Nobody is rushing out to buy a heap of ewes to put rams to, either."

Mr Starick said rams offered "good value."

He felt the Koole Vale rams presented as well as they ever had.

"The Merinos phenotype and genotype was phenomenal, their wool productivity was beautiful and the structure of the White Suffolks was very, very sound," he said.

There was a lack of confidence in the sheep business.

"I think people need to stick to what they know and don't try and chase rainbows too much - this job will improve, there will be a decline in breeding stock, so there will be some upside," he said.

"You have to look to the future and deal with what you can."

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