A TOP offering of heavy cutting, quality woolled rams suited to both the high rainfall and Wheatbelt areas greeted buyers when they walked in the shed at the Mullan family's Eastville Park and Quailerup West on-property ram sale at Wickepin recently and they responded accordingly, pushing prices to a high of $5250.
While most talk in the shed focused on the day's warm weather and the even warmer day to come, buyers recognised the quality of the offering in front of them and showed they were prepared to bid up despite poor seasonal and market conditions.
The sale was solid throughout and the positive result was set up once again on back of strong competition from a long list of return buyers and a handful of new buyers.
When the final ram was sold by the Nutrien Livestock auctioneering team led by auctioneer Michael Altus and the figures were crunched, the Mullan family had sold 238 from 260 rams offered under the hammer for an average of $1472.
The clearance of the sale was further improved post sale with a number of rams being snapped up afterwards.
In comparison in last year's sale when the wool market was stronger and water supplies weren't as low for the stud's clients, the Mullans sold 240 from 300 rams under the hammer for an average of $1536.
In the breakdown, the Mullans offered 185 Poll Merinos and sold 170 for an average of $1509 (down $45 on last year), while in the Merino side of the catalogue they cleared 68 from 75 offered at an average of $1379 (down $125 on last year).
Nutrien Livestock Breeding representative Mitchell Crosby said overall it was a strong sale for the Mullan family given market and seasonal conditions.
"It was a great result in terms of both clearance and prices, which were very similar to last year," Mr Crosby said.
"The rams penned up fantastically well and it was a very even line-up of quality rams.
"With the two studs it meant there were rams suited to both high rainfall and Wheatbelt conditions available to buyers.
"The Mullans again received strong buying support from existing clients which was good to see and with a handful of new buyers there was solid buying competition right through the sale.
"Overall it was a steady sale from start to finish, highlighting the depth of the quality on offer."
Equally happy with the result was stud co-principal Grantly Mullan who said the family was extremely happy with the overall sale result given seasonal conditions and what was happening in the wool market.
"We were pleased to see a strong number of repeat clients operating in the sale again as it shows they are happy with the direction of the stud and what we are breeding," Mr Mullan said.
"It was great to see a few new buyers also securing rams.
"Overall it was a very solid sale and we're very happy with the result given many of our clients required less rams due to reduced ewe numbers as they have had to sell off breeders due to the season and lack of water."
A top run of 30 March shorn, prepared rams kicked off the sale and it was among these pens the $5250 top-priced ram was found.
And it was found early when Mr Altus stood over the ram in pen one and took an opening bid of $2500.
From there he was flooded with bids from a number of buyers all keen to secure the well-grown, upstanding Eastville Park Poll Merino sire.
But in the end it was return buyer Bryn Becker, B Becker & Co, Gainsborough stud, Wagin, who struck the final blow at $5250 and was written in the clerking sheets as the buyer of the ram.
Mr Becker, who has been buying from the stud for eight years, said the ram was a good heavy cutting type with a beautiful, stylish crimped wool and a really good long body.
"He is going to hopefully breed sheep that will fill the bales and quick growing lambs," Mr Becker said.
"His bloodline will also be a new one for our nucleus flock which we have to breed our own rams."
The Beckers nucleus flock comprises of 300 ewes, while their main flock consists of 5000 ewes which are all joined to Merino rams.
Along with its visual appeal the deep-bodied, well-grown 114 kilogram ram by Eastville Park Bomber had the figures to match, with current wool tests of 21.7 micron, 3.3 SD, 98.4 per cent comfort factor (CF), while its carcase scans were 34.5mm eye muscle depth (EMD) and 6.7mm fat.
The top price for a Merino ram in the sale was $3750 for a March shorn Quailerup West ram when it was knocked down to James Scanlon who was buying for an undisclosed return client from the Wheatbelt area.
Mr Scanlon said the buyer liked the ram because it showed scale and had excellent style in its wool.
"He has great overall balance in terms of both carcase and wool," Mr Scanlon said.
The 111.5kg ram along with being easy on the eye also had a good set of figures to match.
In the wool it measured 18.5 micron, 3.2 SD and 99.6pc CF, while on the carcase side it had scans of 35.7mm EMD and 6.8mm fat.
Along with securing the top-priced Merino ram in the sale Mr Scanlon also bid to the sale's $4000 overall equal second top price for a March shorn Eastville Park ram for the operation.
This ram which was another son of Bomber, weighed in 117.5kg with scans of 33.6mm EMD and 5.2mm fat to go with wool figures of 20.2 micron, 3.0 SD and 99.2pc CF.
The second ram to command the $4000 price tag was also another Eastville Park March shorn Poll ram by Bomber when it was knocked down to Nutrien Livestock Wagin agent Peter Foley who was bidding on behalf of return buyers, the Dohle family, Dohle & Co, Wagin.
On the figures front this ram also had the numbers to match its outstanding outlook.
The 115.5kg ram measured 18.8 microns, 3.0 SD and 99.6pc CF in the wool to go with scans of 32.1mm EMD and 6.2mm fat.
The Dohle family also went home with a Quailerup West Merino at $3000 and a Quailerup West Poll at $2000.
Return buyers Murray and Daniel King, King Farming, Calingiri, also had a strong influence at the top end of the sale, purchasing three Quailerup West Polls and a Quailerup West Merino at an average of $2613.
They paid to a top of $3250 for long-bodied, stylish woolled 114kg Poll which measured 21.1 microns, 2.9 SD and 99.8pc CF in the wool.
Muntadgin producer Brendan Maher, Rockdale Farming Co, who was buying at the sale for the first time wasn't afraid to bid up on the rams he wanted.
He finished the sale with a team of seven rams at an average of $2450 made up of five Eastville Park Polls, one Eastville Park Merino and one Quailerup West Merino.
The team topped at $3250 twice and paid for a 115kg, 17.1 micron Eastville Park Poll and a 123.5kg, 20.8 micron Eastville Park Merino.
Mr Maher said they inspected the Mullans sheep at the WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale at Katanning in August and liked what they saw.
"We liked the depth of body and the frame size of their sheep and believe they will work in well with our flock," Mr Maher said.
The operation is looking at joining 3500 ewes to Merino rams this season and another 1000 Merino ewes to Cheetara White Suffolk sires, which will be a similar number to normal as they are in a good spot at the moment season wise.
Mr Maher said he liked running sheep as they provided an added side to the business in terms of an income.
Other buyers to influence the sale at the top end included M & D Bennier, Wickepin, averaging $2110 across a team of five Quailerup West Merino (three) and Poll (two) rams, while return client Gorge Rock Farming, Kulin, secured eight Eastville Park Polls at a $1925 average and fellow return buyer AT & RJ Sugg & Sons Pty Ltd, Lake King, finished with a team of seven Eastville Park Polls at a $1886 average.
When it came to the biggest buyer in the sale, this title went to Graeme, Christine and Jeremy Groves, GA & CA Groves, Tambellup, who were buying at the Mullan's sale for the first time.
After buying a number of rams privately last year the Groves upped the ante this year and purchased 22 Poll Merino sires from both the Eastville Park and Quailerup West teams to a top of $1500 and an average of $950.
Graeme Groves said they had decided to purchase from the Mullans because they liked the wool and the nice big frames of the Mullan's sheep and the service they provided, including classing.
The Groves are looking at joining 2600 ewes this year all to Merino sires.
There were two others buyers to secure double figure teams in the sale.
Return buyer Taarblin Farm Pty Ltd, Narrogin, finished with a team of 10 Polls (nine Eastville Parks and one Quailerup West) at an average of $1700, while the Wagin-based Kechualing Farming Trust, finished with eight Eastville Park Polls, one Quailerup West Poll and one Eastville Park Merino at a $1360 average.
There were also a number of buyers who collected nine rams including CJ & EJ Robertson & Son, Kulin ($1567 average); TW Hardacre & Co, Williams ($1328 average); NH Wittwer & Co, Cuballing ($1278 average); JG & RJ Matthews, Brookton ($1667 average); Illabunda Farming, Wickepin ($1189 average); Meharry Farms, Merredin ($1200 average) and GR & RM Sewell, Pingelly ($1111 average).
