Sale top of $2800 for Wattle Dale ram

With an air of confidence in the shed buyers were not afraid to bid up on the rams which were their first choices pushing prices to a top of $2800 in the Merino and Poll Merino catalogue and $1550 in the British Breed run.

Under the expert guidance of the Landmark Brindley and Gale team and auctioneer Neil Brindley the sale raced through at a rapid pace as Mr Brindley knocked the rams down not only to local producers but buyers from as far away as Kojonup and Boyup Brook.

When Mr Brindley bowled over the final ram in the catalogue, 216 of the 256 Merino, Poll Merino and British Breed rams had been sold for a solid clearance of 84 per cent and an average of $1115, which was up $211 on last year.

This was further improved post sale with a number of the passed in rams being quickly snapped up.

Mr Brindley said overall it was a very positive sale and the strong result reflected the returns producers are currently receiving for sheep and wool.

"The acknowledgment and need for farmers to diversify into livestock was certainly reflected in today's result as well with buying from producers who are increasing their livestock to cropping ratio and others who are restarting in the livestock game," Mr Brindley said.

"Once again the sale was well supported by local buyers but there was also strong support from outside the area which is pleasing to see.

"There was certainly more buyers in the lanes this year compared to last.

"It was one of the biggest yardings for the sale and the rams presented fantastically well and were a credit to the breeders and they need to be congratulated on this.

"They have all come through a wet winter really well and the wool on the Merinos has certainly stood up to the wet conditions."

Merino and Poll Merino

The Merino and Poll Merino offering kicked the sale off and there were 204 rams offered by four breeders in this side of the sale.

By the end of the run, 164 had been sold under the hammer at an average of $1145, which meant the average was up $21 on last year and 22 more rams had been sold.

In comparison last year 142 rams sold from 171 offered at an average of $1124.

In the breakdown 106 Poll Merinos sold from 109 offered at an average of $1231 and 58 Merinos were cleared under the hammer from 95 offered at an average of $1145.

The Vandenberghe family's Wattle Dale stud, Scaddan, was not only the biggest vendor in the sale but also topped the sale, when an upstanding Poll Merino sire was knocked down at $2800.

After an opening bid of $1200, a bidding war broke out between a handful of determined buyers and the price quickly rose.

In the end it was Kojonup producer and return buyer of five years Lyn Mathwin, Barrule Grazing Co, who prevailed and took home the long-bodied, square ram.

The upstanding sire measured 18.6 micron, 19.3 CV as well as a greasy fleece weight (GFW) percentage of 118pc and a body weight percentage of 102pc.

It had ASBVs of 0.5 YWT, 21 YCFW, -2.4 YFD and indexes of 164 for MP+ and 160 for FP+, which ranked it in the 10pc for YCFW, MP+ and FP+ on the MerinoSelect database.

Ms Mathwin said she had gone through the catalogue at home and picked out her preferences before narrowing down her choices when she got to the sale and saw the rams.

"He is a good all-round sheep, he has good size and wool quality," Ms Mathwin said.

"His physical appearance matched his figures.

"He had very good indexes.

"Overall we really like the wool quality of the Wattle Dale sheep and that is why we continue to make the long trip across and buy each year."

Along with securing the top-priced ram, Ms Mathwin also purchased two Merino rams from Wattle Dale at $1800 and $1100.

The Mathwins run 1400 ewes and the majority of these are mated to Merinos.

The Wattle Dale stud also sold one of the two $2500 equal second top-priced rams when John Wallace, Wallbrook Farms, Neridup, secured a long, deep, well-covered Poll ram at this price.

The ram measured 19.4 micron and had a bodyweight percentage of 114pc.

Its indexes of 168 and 158 for MP+ and FP+ rank it the top 10pc of the MerinoSelect database.

Mr Wallace also purchased another two Wattle Dale polls at $1400 and $600 and in the stud's Merino offering he paid the $2000 top price and $1600 for another sire.

The top-priced Merino ram measured 19.3 micron and had a GFW percentage of 124pc and a bodyweight percentage of 111pc, while its indexes of 163 and 157 for MP+ and FP+ rank it in the top 10pc of the MerinoSelect database.

Volume buyers in the stud's Merino run were GJ & JS Quinlivan, Gibson, who purchased five Merinos at an average of $1220, while L & C O'Shannessy, Esperance, averaged $988 across a team of eight and return buyers LJ & D Chapman & Co, Esperance, purchased eight for an average of $850.

Also bidding up on the Wattle Dale rams and taking a mix of both Merino and Poll Merino sires was Telina Downs, Esperance, which averaged $1386 across a team of four Polls and three Merinos, while Hargate Park, Esperance, secured four Polls and three Merinos at an average of $871.

As part of its Poll offering the stud offered 20 sires based on Centre Plus bloodlines and these sold to a top of $2100.

Securing the ram at $2100 was Laurina Farms, Esperance.

The large-framed, long-stapled ram measured 20.3 micron and had a GFW percentage of 121pc and a bodyweight percentage of 119pc.

The operation also purchased another two sires with the Centre Plus bloodlines at $1500 and $1300 plus three other Poll sires based on the stud's own breeding to a top of $1600.

After travelling from across from Boyup Brook Wayne White, WR White, made sure he didn't go empty handed securing four of the Centre Plus blood rams to top of $1400 (twice), while fellow Boyup Book producers GR & SL Mead, purchased four Poll sires including two Centre Plus blood rams at an average of $1150.

By the end of the Wattle Dale run the stud had cleared 45 out of 45 Poll Merinos at a $1264 average and 48 out of 85 Merinos at a $975 average.

The next biggest vendor was the Pengilly family, Penrose stud, Cascade, who offered 40 Poll Merino sires and sold 37 under the hammer for an average of $1276, the best in the sale.

The stud also sold the second ram to sell for the sale's $2500 equal second top price.

Securing the upstanding, bright woolled ram was return buyer of four years Paul Ietto, Allannaluke Farms, Grass Patch.

Mr Ietto said he liked the ram for its frame and constitution.

"Along with being a very good ram structurally he also has a very good even wool all over," he said.

The 98kg ram had wool figures of 20.5 micron, 3.0 SD and 99.8pc CF and ASBVs of 14 YCFW, 5.8 YWT, -1.0 YFAT, -0.8 YEMD and indexes of 145 MP+ and 140 DP+.

Along with securing the top-priced Penrose sire Mr Ietto went on to purchase another seven Penrose sires to finish with a team of eight at an average of $1675

He said they continue to purchase at the stud because the stud's wool type matches their breeding objectives.

The operation is currently running 2300 ewes which are all mated to Merinos and they are shearing every eight months and averaging a 5.5kg cut of 20 micron wool.

Matching Mr Ietto throughout the Penrose offering on a number of rams was B & A Harvey & Sons, who secured four sires at an average of $1750 and to a top of $2200 and LG Norwood, purchased two rams at $2100 and $2000.

Other significant buyers in the Penrose run were return buyer Brisley Park, Scaddan, which averaged $959 across a team of six and Wayne Walter, W & C Walter Pty Ltd, Cascade, secured five at a $980 average.

The Welke family, Westwood stud, Cascade, kicked the sale off with an offering of 20 Poll Merinos and it cleared them all for an average of $1015.

The top price in the Westwood team was $1500 and it was paid by regular buyer Wayne Walter.

Mr Walter paid the $1500 price tag for stretchy, long-stapled woolled ram which had ASBVs of 16.0 YCFW, 4.6 YWT, 0.4 YFAT, 1.2 YEMD and indexes of 144 MP+ and 149 DP+.

Along with this sire the Walters also purchased another six Westwood sires to finish with a team of seven at an average of $1171.

The Walter family, who run 4000 ewes of which 3000 are mated to Merinos, have been buying from Westwood for the past seven years and believe the Westwood rams are good all-round, dual-purpose Merinos.

Also buying numbers from Westwood was LR & KL West, Karleigh Farms, Gibson, which averaged $933 across a team of six, while JA Russell, Esperance, secured three to a top of $1000.

The Gray family's Wande-Arah stud, Coomalbidgup, rounded out the Merino offering with a team of 10 Merinos and four Poll sires which all sold for an average of $1186.

The Wande-Arah team topped at $1700 for a Poll Merino sire when first-time buyer Bob Burnside, JW Burnside & Son, Salmon Gums, had the final bid on the 97kg ram which had current wool figures of 19.7 micron, 4.0 SD and 99.6pc CF.

Mr Burnside also purchased a Merino sire from the stud at $1300.

Buying through Landmark Esperance agent Peter Gale, Chillwell, Esperance, was the volume buyer in the Wande-Arah run, when it secured five sires at an average of $960.

The stud's top Merino ram sold for $1500 to AJ & M Coward, Esperance, who also selected a second Merino sire at $700 and a Poll Merino at $1600.

Also purchasing three Wande-Arah rams, two Merinos and one Poll to a top of $1400 (twice) was SJ & DE Baxter, Esperance.

British breeds

After successfully joining the Merino breeders in the sale last year, four British breed studs were again part of this year's sale.

Between them they offered and sold 52 sires at an average of $1020 and to a top of $1550 twice for White Suffolk sires.

Leading this section of the sale and selling one of the $1550 ram was the Greendale stud, which offered and sold 18 White Suffolks at an average of $953.

Taking home the $1550 Greendale ram was return buyer of three years Ian McCallum, I & C McCallum, Eperance, who mates 600 Dohne ewes to White Suffolks.

Mr McCallum said the 125kg ram was a nice big ram with a long body. He will use it over a small number of White Suffolk ewes to breed his own rams.

Mr McCallum also paid $950 for another Greendale sire.

The biggest buyer of the Greendale rams was CJ Humphrys, who secured five to a top of $1200 and an average of $1020, while TA & JJ Walker, Esperance, purchased three all at $800.

Next up was the Macsfield White Suffolk stud, with a team of 20 sires which all sold for an average of $1208, up from last year's average of $979 (for 19 sold).

The Macsfield stud sold the second ram to make $1550.

It was the stud's 124kg team leader which commanded this price when it was knocked down to Bohemia Springs Pastoral Co, Esperance, which also paid $1400 for a second Macsfield sire.

Strong supporters of the Macsfield team were RN & MM Lloyd & Sons, Esperance and JP & LV Gray, Esperance, who both purchased four sires at averages of $975 and $1188 respectively, while Telina Downs, averaged $1383 across a team of three.

The Tanalan stud offered and sold eight Texel-Poll Dorset cross rams at an average of $738 and to a top of $750.

The volume buyer in the Tanalan run was R Padgurskis, Epserance, who purchased four all at the $750 price tag.

Also bidding to $750 on the first two sires was RN & IK McCrea, Salmon Gums.

The Brimlo Suffolk stud, was a new vendor in the sale this year with an offering of six Suffolk sires.

All six rams sold to a top of $1050 and an average of $975.

The $1050 top-priced ram was purchased by RN & IK McCrea, who also secured a second sire from the stud at $1000.

The remaining four rams were snapped up by DA & SM Styles, Esperance, who took two at $1000, while RN & MM Lloyd & Sons, purchased two at $950 and $850.