Happy buyers push Ejanding to $3100 top

With an air of confidence in the shed, buyers heeded the advice of Elders auctioneer Don Morgan to bid up strongly and not hold back in their buying, given the position of the industry, and as a result they pushed prices to a sale high $3100.

By the end of the sale the agents had cleared 161 of the 180 rams offered under the hammer for a strong average of $1269, which was $11 up on last year.

In comparison last year the sale averaged $1258 for 143 rams sold out of 163 offered.

In the breakdown 115 Poll Merinos sold out of 125 offered for an average of $1278, down $97 on last year and 46 Merinos sold from 55 offered at an average of $1246, up $258.

Both Mr Morgan and Landmark auctioneer Grant Lupton agreed the quality and presentation of the rams throughout was very good and it was a solid sale for the stud with both the average and number of rams sold up on last year.

Mr Morgan said it was a good line-up of rams which were all showing good wool and carcase traits.

"This is my 11th year selling the sale and the quality of rams on offer is improving all the time," Mr Morgan said.

"Like always there was solid support yet again from long-term clients and this year a handful of new buyers added more competition.

"Buyers came from the northern, eastern and central Wheatbelt, which just demonstrates the rams are performing in a range of environments.

"Overall it was a strong sale throughout and a positive start to the selling season."

Mr Lupton said it was a terrific way to start the selling season for the Merino industry.

"It was a strong sale with both the average and number of rams sold up on last year," Mr Lupton said.

"There was solid bidding throughout sale from a long list of regular buyers plus a couple new buyers, which was pleasing to see.

"It was a very good presentation of rams, which were even throughout and a credit to the Jones family."

Taking top price honours in the sale at $3100 was an upstanding Poll Merino ram in pen 14, which created a bidding frenzy among buyers before being knocked down to first-time buyer David Millsteed, Mocardy stud, Wongan Hills.

The long, deep, square ram not only had all the carcase traits but also impressed in the wool with its well-nourished, bold crimping fleece.

Not only did the 113 kilogram ram impress on the eye it also had the figures to match, with ASBVs of 17.7 YCFW, -1.1 YFD, -0.1 YDCV, 4.9 YSL, 7.7 YWT, 0.7 YFAT, 1.1 YEMD and indexes of 142 for DP+ and 146 for MP, which made it a trait leader for YWT, DP+ and MP.

It had August wool figures of 20.2 micron, 3.6 SD, 17.8 CV and 99.5 per cent comfort factor.

Mr Millsteed said he had been looking at the Ejanding rams for the past couple of years and had been impressed.

"I inspected the rams at the recent Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days and picked out one to buy but when I got here and saw the whole team I changed my mind," Mr Millsteed said.

"This ram is a real dual-purpose type, with exceptional meat qualities and a very good wool.

"He has a big long body with plenty of width and great muscling through the hindquarter.

"He just has so much meat.

"His figures are also very good with a positive fat figure and a good yearling weight and eye muscle depth.

"His bloodline was also something I was chasing, I have seen how the family performs - they show good meat traits and have nice wools."

Along with securing the top-priced ram, Mr Millsteed also purchased a second Poll sire at $2300.

The second top price in the sale was $3000 and this was also paid for a Poll Merino ram early in the catalogue, which showed a great spring of rib and carried a stylish wool.

Bidding to this value was Colin Bryant, CM Bryant, Latham.

The classy 114kg ram measured 20.2 micron, 3.7 SD, 18.3 CV and 99.7pc CF in the wool and had ASBVs of 18.5 YCFW, -1.2 YFD, 0.9 YDCV, 8.2 YWT, -0.2 YFAT, -0.2 YEMD and indexes of 145 for DP+ and 148 for MP, making it a trait leader for YWT, DP+ and MP.

The ram was joined on the trip back to Latham by another Poll ram which cost Mr Byrant $600.

In the Merino offering it was regular buyers the Sparkman family, Shanandale Pty Ltd, Perenjori, who secured the top-priced sire when they bid to $2300 for a long-bodied sire that showed outstanding dual-purpose traits.

Ashley Sparkman said when selecting their rams they were focusing a bit more on the carcase traits as they have their wool near where they want it.

"This ram had excellent carcase traits - he is a very long ram with good muscling," Mr Sparkman said.

"He is a dual-purpose type."

The upstanding 105kg ram measured 20.6 micron, 3.2 SD, 15.5 CV and 99.7pc CF in the wool and had ASBVs of 21.3 YCFW, -1.7 YFD, 0.2 YDCV, 7.7 YWT, 0.1 YFAT, 0.3 YEMD and indexes of 142 for DP+ and 153 for MP, making it a trait leader for YCFW, YWT, DP+ and MP.

Also in the Merino run the Sparkmans paid $2100 twice for sires with 147 and 154 MP indexes.

They finished the sale with a team of 11 Merinos at an average of $1618.

The Sparkmans also purchased six Poll Merino sires at an average of $1842 to make them the day's volume buyer.

In the Poll Merino run the family paid to a top of $2100 twice for rams which weighed 105kg and 110kg with wool of 19.6 micron and 20.1 micron respectively.

The Sparkmans mate 2100 ewes and their flock averages 20 micron with a 6kg wool cut.

Regular buyers Neville and Kay Frearson, NB & KL Frearson, Wongan Hills, were strong buyers throughout the Poll run securing six sires at an average of $1447.

They paid to a top of $2300 for a 118kg sire which had indexes of 142 DP+ and 144 MP.

Also purchasing numbers at the top end of the Poll run was return buyer John Metcalf & Sons, Dowerin, who purchased 10 sires to a top of $2000 and an average of $1370.

Others to bid up strongly for Polls were the Avery family, EL & MS Avery, Cadoux, who purchased three sires to a top of $2100 while GL Robert & Son, Goomalling, secured three rams to a top of $1900.

The volume buyer in the Poll Merino run was return buyer WE Emmott & Sons, Dowerin, which, with the assistance of Landmark Breeding representative Mitchell Crosby, purchased 15 rams at an average of $937 and to a top of $1300.

Others to secure reasonable sized Poll teams were Mardenway Pty Ltd, Kalannie, which purchased eight averaging $988 and RJ & VM Hathway, Kalannie, who averaged $900 over a team of seven.

The second top-price in the Merino offering was $2200 paid by return buyers IA & CA Kerr, Coorow, for a 118kg sire which measured 22.4 micron and 99.3pc CF.

It is a trait leader for YWT (11.3) and DP+ (146)

By the end of the Merino run the Coorow operation had purchased six rams at an average of $1617, to go with two Poll sires purchased at $1700 and $1400.

Also bidding strongly in the Merino offering were regular buyers RE & WK Jones, Ejanding.

They purchased five Merinos to a top of $1900 and an average of $1420, after securing a Poll ram at $1500.

Also bidding up strongly on the Merino rams were Northam producers KM & VJ O'Neill, who paid $2100 and $2000 for their selections, which had MP indexes of 144 and 150.