A STRONG focus on increasing genetic gains by breeding sheep which are extensively measured for growth, muscle and fat has resulted in a record-breaking sale for the Thompson family at the 19th annual Moojepin Merinos on-property ram sale in Katanning on October 1.
The family was rewarded for its efforts with profitable genetics being recognised by local and Eastern States' supporters on AuctionsPlus.
This, combined with a bumper season and favourable market conditions, saw a new stud sale record top price of $37,000 achieved.
Wet weather conditions certainly didn't deter new and loyal clients who filled the tent and enjoyed the extremely even line-up of halter broken plain bodied, long staple length rams with soft, white handling wool.
When the finally call was made by the Nutrien Livestock selling team, auctioneer Michael Altus had sold 146 of the 150 rams under the hammer at not only a new stud sale record top price but a new stud sale record average of $3135, up $866 on last year.
The clearance of 97 per cent was down marginally when the Thompsons presented an additional 14 head this year compared to last year when 134 of the 136 rams offered sold at auction to an average of $2269.
Once again, this year the sale was interfaced on AuctionsPlus which was influential throughout the sale, setting the stud sale record top of $37,000 and earning $163,750 from online auction takings.
With 3170 catalogue views online, up 1535 on last year, it was no surprise that 36 rams were knocked down to the online platform at an average of $4549, up $2352 on last year's online average.
AuctionsPlus recorded 44 registered bidders online and 14 of those were successful buyers from South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia resulting in 514 online bids placed across 64 lots to see 36 head sell on the online platform to a significantly improved average.
Moojepin stud co-principal Hamish Thompson said he was overwhelmed by the results and the sale certainly exceeded his and his family's expectations.
"We thought we had the rams covered but not to that extent," Mr Thompson said.
"To have the support from local buyers and those on AuctionsPlus was a fantastic reward for effort.
"More producers are starting to take notice of the influence our genetics are having not only here in WA but on the east coast as well as New Zealand and Argentina.
"For many years we have focused strongly on production traits for growth, muscle and fat which has resulted in a premium product which can adapt to an ever-changing climate and has given our clients the flexibility they need to handle poor seasons and excel when they are good."
Mr Altus said the sale was outstanding and was a real testament to the Thompsons and what they were doing at Moojepin.
"They have invested in genetics, concentrated strongly on those key production traits for a long time and it was noticed with new and loyal clients not afraid to pay good money for the quality that they have bred," Mr Altus said.
"They offered an extremely even line-up of rams and it was pleasing to see that they were rewarded for all their efforts.
"Congratulations to Hamish, David and the whole team on a very successful sale."
It was a young ewe lamb's ram in lot 149 that caused the biggest bidding war on the AuctionsPlus online platform, with pre-bids for the well-structured youngster sired by Moojepin 160990 reaching $30,500 before the opening bid at the sale even commenced.
When the final call was made by Mr Altus, the 19.6 micron ram which had semen collected for stud use sold for a new stud sale record top-price of $37,000 to Nigel Kerin, Kerin Poll, Yeoval, NSW, who was eagerly awaiting his turn to click and secure the sires of his choice.
The white, bright, long staple length ram ranked highly with its ASBVs across multiple traits, sitting in the top 10pc of the industry for PWT 9.9, YEMD 2.4, YFAT 1.3, YSL 23.62, EBWR -1 and EBCOV -0.59.
It was the first time that Mr Kerin had purchased sires at Moojepin to use in his own stud enterprise and the main reasons being was to enhance the genetic traits of fat and muscle into his own flock which Moojepin is highly recognised for.
"I have been following Moojepin and their breeding objectives very closely for the past 15 years and over that period they've worked really hard to combine quality wool on an animal that is high in fat and muscle," Mr Kerin said
"Unfortunately, the east coast studs which have focused on high muscle and fat content in their flocks have done this at the detriment to their wool quality and fleece weights."
Mr Kerin said he made the investment because he considered the genetic cross of Moojepin and Kerin Poll a perfect match.
"We are recognised for our industry leading high post weaning weights, fertility, on heavy cutting super white wools in a high humidity and high summer rainfall area," he said.
"Crossing the long staple length, high fat, muscle and beautiful carcase profile of the Moojepin type will be the major paradigm shift needed for the Merino breed to remain relevant in a battle for land use in a rapidly changing climate combined with high land prices.
"Hamish's influence in the stud operation has had a massive impact in breeding a sheep that can adapt to any climate anywhere in Australia.
"He continues to push the envelope on production traits while retaining a fibre that is soft, bright and white that doesn't have any colour."
Mr Kerin said the top ram was only 12 months younger than his mother.
"Moojepin has been mating ewe lambs for well over 10 years and I highly value this as it is a focus in my enterprise," he said.
"Rapid turnover of generations while selecting the early maturing ewes is something the whole industry should be doing.
"Moojepin has focussed on breeding a very unique Merino type and their hard work is evident in the sale team they put up."
Along with his top price purchase, Mr Kerin when onto snap up two other sires at a $8,500 and $15,500 price tag.
The $15,500 well-balanced ram in lot 120 had arithmetic's of 7.5 PWT, 2.9 YEMD, 1.9 YFAT, 23.93 YSL, -1.1 EBWR, -0.3 LDAG and 0.41 for IMF, while its $8,500 sale counterpart expressed 9.6 PWT, 2.7 YEMD, 1.3 YFAT, 22.51 YSL, -1.2 EBWR and -0.82 EBCOV.
Securing the $25,500 second top-priced ram on the rail was return buyers Deane Trotter and Jeff Bergroth, Perillup Estate Pastoral Co, West Mt Barker.
The well-grown ram which had semen collected for stud use was a twin born, 17.5 micron son of sire Moojepin 160003 that also ranked highly with ASBVs of 8.2 PWT, 2.2 YEMD, 1.5 YFAT, 23 YSL, -1.2 EBWR, -O.69 EBCOV and 0.54 for IMF.
Mr Trotter said the figures on this ram initially caught their eye and they were confident it was structurally sound in the pasterns and feet and would suit their area well.
"This ram, along with the others we have purchased over the past 10 years, had fine, white, bright, soft handling wool and will be joined to a nucleus flock of 700 Merino ewes," Mr Trotter said.
"The lamb rams bred from this sire will support our own commercial ram supply."
Paying deep in the sale catalogue for a ewe lamb's ram was Elders Katanning who bought the son of Moojepin 171701 for $10,000, while Deon Gould, KL & DG Gould, Northampton, jumped online to secure a sire at $75000 and another at $2750.
SV & MA Start, Crowlands, Victoria, bid by phone for a single sire in lot 52 for $7000, while Wellagalong Pastoral Company, Duramana, NSW, had its finger ready and successfully purchased four rams on AuctionsPlus at a healthy $3313 average.
Damian Pearson, D & K Pearson Livestock, Kaniva, Victoria, was the volume buyer on AuctionsPlus and bought seven rams in total at an average of $2429, while competing strongly online was Tim May, Mayhem Pastoral Company, Newland, South Australia, who got his hands on four at a $2650 average.
Several rams reached the $5000 mark or marginally above with Rivers Hyde, Kohat Poll Merino stud, Ongerup, securing his one and only purchase at $5750, while consistent top-end buyers and loyal clients Kane Page and family, KJ & RJ Page, Pingelly, returned to claim a top price of $5250 and pay $4000 of another ram of their choice.
Seamus O'Halloran, S & G O'Halloran, Rainbow, Victoria, utilised AuctionsPlus to secure a ram at $5000 and another for $1000, while Hillroy Farms Pty Ltd, Brookton, paid a top of $5000 and got it hands on another two sires for $4000 and $2750.
In their 18th year securing Moojepin genetics, Broomehill based operation Meyer Trading, T Norino Pty Ltd, were the volume buyers of 14 rams at auction to a healthy average of $2946 and a top of $5000.
Purchasing three rams at a top of $5000 and an average of $3250 was Slabhut Grazing, Kojonup, while back online paying a $2333 average for his three was Todd Heaysman, Heaysman Pastoral, Pyalong, Victoria.
Snapping up a ram at $4250 and another for $3250 was Jamie Ramage, Ramage Rural, Hansonville, Victoria, while James McInally, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Karoonda, SA, was quick to secure two online for $4500 and $3750.
Victoria operations T & J Bingley Pastoral Company, Rokewood, and Hannaton Partnership, Kaniva, paid $4000 for a ram each.
Despite the strong east coast online bidding frenzy, local buyers at the sale didn't shy away and managed to lock in those rams that best suited their needs with eight head travelling as far as Esperance when they were bought by RJ & HLS Reed at an average of $2469.
Westendale Grazing Company, Wagin, was back to pencil down eight rams in its book to a $2719 average, while regulars Dumbitt Hills Pastoral Company, Narrogin, loaded eight head at an average of $2406 on the back of the ute.
G & RJ Ballard, Narrogin, snapped up seven sires at a $2250 average, while seven head also went to Westacre Farm, Boyup Brook, averaging $1321.
Six sires were written down on account of Clifden Farming Company, Katanning and A & S Stevens, Kellerberrin, at a $1791 and $1750 average respectively, while RJ & BR Harris, Cuballing, didn't leave empty handed and took home four Moojepin rams at an average of $2000.
