CONFIDENT and eager bidders purchased all of the rams offered at the annual Billandri on-property Poll Merino ram sale for another 100 per cent clearance at Kendenup earlier this month.
It was a cold and wet affair but a crowd of 26 registered bidders withstood the weather to produce an improved sale result compared to last year.
The Sandilands family offered their usual number of 200 Poll Merino rams and once again all sold under the hammer, this year for an average of $1207.
The average was up by $227 compared to the stud's 2020 sale when it averaged $980 for 200 rams.
Prices peaked early in the catalogue with the lot two ram making $3300, up by $600 compared to the stud's 2020 sale top price of $2700.
It was paid by Clayton Park Grazing Co, Eneabba, when David Mills, Eneabba, successfully bid on behalf of the operation.
The late July-drop ram had Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) of 28.9 yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW), -0.8 yearling fibre diameter (YFD), 6.3 yearling weight (YWT), 1.0 yearling eye muscle depth (YEMD), 0.4 yearling fat (YFAT) and an index of 174.
On the raw data front it had June wool figures of 17.7 micron, 19.8 CV and 99.9 per cent comfort factor (CF) to go with a end of September bodyweight of 87.5 kilograms and early September scans of 33.4mm EMD and 4.1mm fat.
Mr Mills is not new to purchasing rams from the stud coming back to the sale each year to select some top quality rams.
He said that in particular, the lot two ram had very heavy cutting wool and good figures behind it.
"It had very nice, white wool," Mr Mills said.
Mr Mills also bought five rams for himself paying a top of $1300 and an average of $1100.
Achieving the second top price of the sale was RF & MK Bilney, Kojonup, paying $2700 for a 77.5kg ram with raw scans of 27mm EMD and 3.4mm fat and wool figures of 16.4 micron, 20.1 CV and 99.9pc CF.
On the ASBV front the twin born ram had figures of 28.8 YCFW, -1.6YFD, 4.0 YWT, 0.0 YEMD, 0.0 YFAT and an index of 180
The Bilneys continued to pay on the higher end of the scale securing the lot 16 ram for $2500.
It had ASBVs of 1.3 PEMD, 0.5 pfat and -0.9 FD with measured figures of 32mm EMD, 3.2mm fat, 17.3 micron and 99.9pc CF.
Another ram that achieved more than $2000 was the lot 10 ram when the Bilneys paid $2100.
It had ASBV figures of 24.9 YCFW, -1.1 YFD, 4.9 YWT, 1.9 YEMD, 0.9 YFAT and index of 160 along with raw scans of 30.3mm EMD, 3.6mm fat, to go with wool tests of 17.2 micron, 19.2 CV and 100pc CF.
The Bilneys went on to buy three more rams and by the end of the sale, had purchased a total of six rams at an average of $2000.
The next best price achieved was $2600 paid by ME Wornum & Co, Tenterden, which purchased just the one ram in lot three with ASBV figures of 22.3 YCFW, 0.1 YFD, 6.9 YWT, 0.8 YEMD, 0.7 YFAT and an index of 163.
On the raw data front the 87.5kg ram it had wool tests of 19.1 micron, 18.3 CV and 99.9pc to go with scans of 27.2mm EMD and 3.4mm fat.
Strong competition continued with the 20th ram offered also making $2500 when it was purchased by RA & JA Quartermaine, Geraldton.
It had ASBVs of 13.9 YCFW, -1.4 YFD, 7.3 YWT, 1.1 YEMD, 0.6 YFAT and an index of 158.
RA & JF Quartermaine bought two more rams to walk away with three at an average of $1933.
GWF & TM Chomley, Kojonup, purchased a tidy team of seven rams at a high of $2500 and an average of $1714.
The lot 90 $2500 ram had raw figures of 30.2mm EMD, 4mm fat while its wool measured 17.5 micron and 99.9pc CF.
Its ASBVs sat at 15.4 YCFW, -0.9 YFD, 5.1 YWT, 0.9 YEMD and 0.6 YFAT while its index was 150.
The volume buyer of the sale was Cranbrook-based operation Beeac Estate with a team of 24 rams.
Beeac Estate paid a top of $900 and an average of $833.
There was a number of purchasers who walked away with several rams having bid throughout the entire sale.
Gordon River Grazing, Cranbrook, also secured a large number of rams finishing the sale with 21 at an average of $1040.
Close behind was JJ & JA Sexton, Kojonup, with 20 rams averaging $1103, while returning buyer Indinup Pastoral Co, Katanning, paid an average of $992 for 12 rams.
Returning client Bignell Farms, Broomehill, bought 11 rams at a top of $1500 and an average of $1227.
Securing a total of 10 rams was Glenorchy Holdings, Beverley, averaging $1130, with Strathmore Grazing, Manjimup, also purchasing a team of 10 rams at an average of $1100
Another big team of Billandri sires was picked up by Elders stud stock representative Russell McKay, who bid on behalf of S Sadler & Co, Wongan Hills, finishing with 10 rams at a top of $1900 and an average of $1650.
Also paying a top of $1900 was Kunmallup Pastoral Co, Woodanilling.
Kunmallup went on to pay for two more rams tallying three at an average of $1533.
Westcup Pty Ltd, paid an average of $1333 for a total of nine rams, while Colin Murray, Tincurrin, bought seven rams averaging $1314.
Birkby Estate, Katanning, also ended the sale with seven rams averaging $1086 respectively.
Six rams were paid for by Paul Longbottom at an average of $1276, while repeat purchaser Greenhill Estate, Katanning, bought six rams averaging $1000
Ending the day with five rams each was Rocklee Farms, Mt Barker, at an average of $1120 and Rovadam, Bremer Bay, averaging $1020.
Nutrien Livestock auctioneer and Mt Barker agent Charlie State said the sale flowed very well.
"Buyers were happy to compete throughout the entirety of the sale," Mr Staite said.
"The rams were presented extremely well, especially considering the wet year.
"The vendors should be very happy with the result."
Billandri stud co-principal Geoff Sandlilands said he was pleased with the overall result of the sale.
"It felt like it was a good sale and the prices seemed to be quite consistent right the way through to the end," Mr Sandilands said.
"The average and top price improved on last year's sale which was positive to see."