Strong Merino clearances and averages for 2022 ram selling season

With feed and water in the paddocks, producers remained confident in their bidding given the returns they have achieved with their Merino flocks in recent years.

Despite the present downturn in the sheep markets and the somewhat volatile wool market, buyers weren't deterred at sales and continued to have faith in the Merino, pushing the breed's average above the $1900 mark for the first time, finishing at $1926.

Not only did Merino sales see the average lift to a record high, they also maintained their 93 per cent clearance rate achieved last year despite the continued push of other breeds in particular the shedding breeds onto the selling scene.

Leading into sales this year there had been plenty going on in the sheepmeat and wool markets.

The wool market this year has again been up and down with no consistency, but in a positive for growers it is well up on 2020 when it bottomed out as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When sales got underway at the beginning of September, the Western Market Indicator was up 85c/kg on last year and up 546c/kg on 2020 to provide growers with some confidence.

When it came to the sheep and lamb markets, they were certainly nowhere near the record levels achieved in the previous two years.

After seeing record sheepmeat prices for the past two years, producers this year got a reality hit with the market falling away significantly in the autumn as processors were hit with staffing issues which affected processing numbers and in turn sheep prices.

Despite this downturn in the sheep and lamb markets, there were still enough positives for buyers to continue to show their faith in the Merino breed.

This continued faith resulted in buyers bidding strongly on the rams they really wanted to further improve their genetic programs and this lifted prices across most sales this season to put a smile on the face of vendors.

During Merino and Poll Merino sales this year a total of 8931 rams were offered at 71 sales, broken into 62 single vendor sales and nine multi-vendor sales and 8328 of these rams sold under the hammer for a gross of $16,037,100.

The 2021 season saw 9210 rams offered and 8563 sold for a gross of $16,159,750, so this year there were 235 less rams sold and 279 less offered, while the gross fell $122,650.

While the number of rams offered and sold and the gross fell compared to last year, in a positive note for Merino breeders the clearance rate at 93pc was the same as 2021 and the average rose $39 this year to finish at $1926, making it the best average recorded by the breed eclipsing last year's record breaking figure of $1887.

When you examine the sale results back to when Farm Weekly first started recording them in 1996, the Merino has lost market share with the introduction of numerous other breeds to the industry but it still holds the title as the most dominant breed.

The market share for Merinos for the number of rams sold this year was 56pc, which was down three points on 2021, while in terms of the gross figure the Merino breed held 58pc of the market, which was down 5pc on last year.

The more than $16m gross figure achieved this year ranks as the third largest ever recorded for the breed, behind last year's figure and the 2018 figure of $16,902,020 which is the best achieved.

The strong season result for the breed was no doubt built around the top end of the market, which was again impressive.

However what was probably more influential on the overall result was the evenness and strength of sales from beginning to end and this is illustrated when you compare the number of rams that sold for more than five figures this year compared to last.

This year there were 24 rams sold for $10,000 or more, which was back seven on last year.

This included six rams which sold for $20,000 or more, while there were two others to sell between $15,000 and $20,000.

Last year there were 16 which sold for $15,000 or more.

Of the 24 rams to sell for $10,000 or more, 19 were Polls, while 15 of the 24 sold to WA and Eastern States' studs with the remaining nine going to commercial producers.

Prices for the season topped at $52,000, in that last Merino sale of the season when the Anderson family, Anderson stud, sold a two-tooth Poll Merino sire at their on-property ram sale at Kojonup in October.

The double polled ram by Anderson 160729 was purchased by Andrew, Jodie and Tom Green, Aloeburn Poll Merino stud, Boree Creek, New South Wales, while the underbidder was Edwards family, GullenGamble stud, Walmer, NSW.

The ram ranked in the top 1pc for post weaning weight (PWWT) at 10.6, yearling weight (YWT) at 14.2 and the DP+ index at 220 when it came to its Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs).

It was also in the top 5pc for yearling worm egg count, yearling fibre diameter co-efficient of variation, yearling staple strength, weaning rate and dag, as well as top 10pc for yearling eye muscle depth (YEMD), yearling fat (YFAT), yearling staple length, conception, litter size and maternal behaviour score.

Also at the Anderson on-property ram sale another Poll ram sold at $14,500 and it was purchased by a NSW commercial producer.

The next best price was $31,000 achieved by the Bolt family's Claypans stud, Corrigin, when it sold a two-tooth Poll Merino for this value in the stud ram sale at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale at Katanning in August to South Australian stud breeder Tom Davidson, Moorundie Park, Gulnare.

The ET-bred, March shorn ram was by Claypans 632, which was the junior champion ram at the 2018 Perth Royal Show and out of Claypans 18, which was the champion unhoused ewe at the 2018 Perth Royal Show.

On the wool front it had current test figures of 20.5 micron, 3.5 SD, 17.3 CV and 98.8 per cent comfort factor (CF).

The third top price was $20,000 and this was achieved by four studs.

The Blight family's Seymour Park stud, Highbury, sold two rams at $20,000 one at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale at Katanning and one at their on-property ram sale.

The ram at Katanning was purchased by the Wise family, Wililoo stud, Woodanilling.

The two-tooth, March shorn Poll Merino ram was by Gunallo 295 and had wool figures of 21.5 micron, 2.7 SD, 12.7 CV and 99.7pc CF.

Also at Katanning Seymour Park sold another two-tooth Poll for $10,000.

At the stud's on-property sale in late September it was the Cowan family, Crichton Vale stud, Narembeen, which purchased its $20,000 sire.

This March shorn, two-tooth Poll carried Moorundie Park bloodlines and had wool figures of 16.8 micron, 2.1 SD, 12.7 CV and 99.8pc CF.

In their on-property ram sale, the Blights also sold rams at $14,500, $13,000, $11,000 and $12,000.

Also hitting the $20,000 mark was the Norrish family's Angenup stud, Kojonup and the Jones family's Ejanding stud, Dowerin.

The Angenup stud achieved its sale at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale and its ram was purchased by the Seymour Park stud.

The March shorn, two-tooth Poll Merino ram was ET-bred by Moorundie NE073 and had wool tests of 18.2 micron, 3.3 SD, 18.4 CV and 99.6pc CF.

When it came to the $20,000 Ejanding sire it was sold at the stud's on-property sale in September to Kurra-Wirra Pastoral Co, Culla, Victoria.

The June 2021-drop, polled ram by Wallaloo Park 172032 had ASBVs of 35 yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW), -0.8 yearling fibre diameter (YFD), 14.3 YWT, 0.5 YFAT, 2.1 YEMD, plus indexes of 192.4 for the MP+ index and 216.9 for the DP+ index.

It had raw August wool test figures of 18 micron, 3.2 SD, 17.8 CV and 100pc CF.

The top price for a Merino ram was $13,500 paid for a two-tooth ram from the Dewar family's Woodyarrup stud, Broomehill, at the stud's on-property sale by commercial producers the Doyle family, Wylivere Farms, Corrigin.

The 2021-drop ram naturally bred by 151067 (son of impact sire 120175) had June wool tests of 19.1 micron, 2.7 SD, 13.9 CV and 99.5pc CF.

It had ASBVs on MerinoSelect which ranked it in the top 5pc for the DP+ and MP+ indexes and top 10pc for YCFW as well as top 20pc for PWWT and top 30pc for YWT and YFD.

Other sales to achieve values at the higher end between $12,000 and $20,000 at on-property sales were Lewisdale, Wickepin ($18,000, Poll) and Moojepin, Katanning ($14,000, Poll), while at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale four studs sold in this range Belka Valley stud, Bruce Rock ($15,000 Poll); Pyramid Poll, Cascade ($14,000, Poll), Barloo, Gnowangerup ($13,000, Merino) and Willemenup, Gnowangerup ($13,000, Poll).

Along with the strong sale prices there were also a number of high priced private sales during the year and the biggest of these was $50,000 for a March-shorn, two-tooth Poll Merino sire, sold by the Gooding and Robinson families, East Mundalla stud, Tarin Rock, to the Charinga and Banavie studs, Berrimal, Victoria.

The sale was negotiated at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale at Katanning.

Also at Katanning it was announced the Westerdale stud, McAlinden, had negotiated the private sale of a four-tooth, August shorn Poll Merino ram for $25,000 to Rhodes Pastoral, Boyup Brook and the Navanvale stud, Williams, had sold a two-tooth Poll Merino to the Mullan families' Quailerup West stud, Wickepin.

Prior to Katanning at the Narrogin Long Wool Day in July the Mullan family, Wickepin, sold a four-tooth, full wool Poll from their Eastville Park stud for $20,000 and a two-tooth March shorn Merino ram for $10,000 from their Quailerup West stable to the Rockdale Valley stud, Muntadgin.

At the 62 single vendor sales, there were 7953 rams offered, down 235 head and 7437 sold, which was down 209 head on last year.

At these sales a total of 45 studs increased their offerings or offered the same numbers as 2021, while 37 sales sold the same number or more rams than 2021.

Like the number of rams sold this year, the gross figures for single vendor sales fell but the average did see a positive movement upwards.

The average lifted by $50 to finish at $1960, while the gross figure fell $56,250 to $14,547,700.

This year's average ranks as the best on record for single vendor sales, breaking the record set last year, while the gross sits as the second best behind last year's record breaking figure.

In the single vendor offerings, the Anderson stud for a third year running, took the honour of recording the best average when it offered and sold 178 rams at an average of $3101.

Following on with impressive averages were Woodyarrup ($2729, 252 offered, 247 sold); Kamballie, Tammin ($2697, 172, 172); Seymour Park ($2644, 189, 178); Wiringa Park, Nyabing ($2642, 200, 194); East Mundalla ($2640, 150, 150) and Moojepin ($2549, 173, 168).

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Others to record an average of more than $2200 were Lewisdale ($2387); Eastville Park/Quailerup West ($2353); Ejanding ($2315); Kohat, Ongerup ($2263) and Warralea, Gairdner ($2241), while there were another 10 to average between $2000 and $2200.

This meant there were a total of 22 sales which averaged $2000 or more compared to just 19 in 2021 and 11 in 2020.

In addition to this there were another 18 sales that averaged between $1500 and $2000 and 11 which averaged between $1200 and $1500.

This meant a total of 51 sales averaged $1200, compared to 50 in 2021.

Along with these there were six sales to average between $1000-$1200, making a total of 57 sales or 92pc with an average of $1000 or more compared to 58 last year.

After a whopping 55 sales achieved a jump in average last year of between $18 and $1524, breeders were hopeful of similar results this year but unfortunately this strong upward momentum couldn't be sustained and as a result this season there were only 35 sales (or 56pc) that registered a lift in average and these rises ranged between $15 and $894.

Recording the largest jump in average was the Kohat stud, which recorded the $894 increase.

Other sales to raise their average by more than $350 included Warralea ($518); Keetlen Valley, Newdegate ($485); Kamballie ($433); Hill Padua, Three Springs ($391); Eastville Park and Quailerup West ($390); Cramphorne, Bruce Rock ($371); Rhamily, Calingiri ($364) and Crichton Vale ($320), while another six sales recorded a lift between $200 and $300.

A total clearance is a hard task and this year 14 sales ticked this box, being Anderson (178 head); Angenup (229); Arra-dale (102); Beaufort Vale, Boyup Brook (45); Billandri, Kendenup (200); Cardiff, Yorkrakine (120); Cranmore, Walebing (214); East Mundalla (150), Eastville, Dudinin (125); Hill Padua (124); Kamballie (172); Lewisdale (250); Nepowie, Nomans Lake (244) and Woolkabin, Woodanilling (151).

The Ledwith family, Dudinin, with its Kolindale and Eastville ram sales, again presented the largest offering of rams to buyers, cataloguing a whopping 570 rams and selling 553 at three different sales.

It offered 348 and sold 335 at its on-property Kolindale sale, which was the biggest offering this year at a single sale, while at its Eastville on-property sale it offered and sold 125 head.

The Ledwith family's third sale for the year was their Kolindale Esperance sale and in it they sold 93 from 97 offered.

The second biggest sale in terms of numbers after the Kolindale on-property sale was the Barloo/Willemenup sale and in this fixture the House family offered 326 rams from its two studs and sold 316.

The next biggest were Woodyarrup (252 offered, 247 sold); Lewisdale (250, 250); Nepowie (244, 244); Manunda (240, 234); Angenup (229, 229); Eastville Park/Quailerup West (225, 224); Cranmore (214, 214) while another two sales also offered 200 rams - Billandri and Wiringa Park.

All up there were 11 sales where 200 or more rams were offered and 10 sales where 200 or more were sold.

The five largest grossing single vendor sales all grossed more than $550,000 and they were Barloo/Willemenup ($689,300); Woodyarrup ($674,150); Kolindale on-property ($660,250) Lewisdale ($596,700) and Anderson ($552,000), while there were another two sales to gross more than $500,000 - Eastville Park/Quailerup West and Wiringa Park.

In addition to these big sales there were 18 more to gross between $200,000 and $500,000 to give a total of 25 sales with a gross figure of $200,000 or more, which was the same as last year and four more than 2020.

This season there were 978 rams offered under the hammer at nine multi-vendor ram sales from 19 studs, which was back 44 head and of these 891 sold, down 26 head on last season.

There were four sales where the same number or more rams were offered compared to 2021, while in three sales the number of rams sold was either more or equal to 2021.

The overall average for multi-vendor sales was $1672, which is the second highest average in history for multi-vendor sales.

In comparison to last season's record figure of $1607, this year's average was back $25.

Seven of the nine sales achieved an average of more than $1000, while there were five which averaged more than $1500.

It was no surprise the highest multi-vendor sale average was chalked up at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Sale at Katanning when it realised $12,333 over the 15 rams sold from the 17 offered, which included both four-tooth and two-tooth rams.

Studs which sold more than two rams and achieved a sale average more than $5000 were Claypans ($18,500, 2 sold); Seymour Park ($15,000, 2); Angenup ($14,500, 2) and Wililoo ($7000, 3).

The next highest average was $1819 achieved at the Esperance Breeders' sale where four studs sold 221 rams from 232 offered.

Other sales that averaged more than $1500 were Wagin ($1621); Williams ($1614) and Merredin ($1527).

Studs participating in two tooth multi-vendor sales outside the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale that recorded averages of more than $1500 included Westwood (60 offered, 60 sold,

$2633 average); Wattle Dale (120, 120, $1548) and Penrose (40, 33, $1518) at Esperance; Toorackie (60, 59, $1866) at Williams; Kingussie (80, 80, $1695) and Wililoo (60, 55, $1513) at Wagin plus Seven Oaks South (119, 103, $1683) at Merredin.

Another eight studs averaged between $1000 and $1500 at these two-tooth multi-vendor sales.

Four of the nine multi-vendor sales posted an increase in average compared to 2021 and these rises ranged from $24 to the biggest increase of $101 recorded at the Esperance Breeders' sale.

Other sales to record a lift were Dinninup ($100); Williams ($86) and Merredin ($24).

It's a hard task to achieve a total clearance and this year no multi-vendor sale achieved the feat but there were three sales, which achieved a 90pc or better clearance - Northampton (99); Wagin (96) and Esperance (95).

There were four studs at multi-vendor ram sales (excluding the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale) to achieve a total clearance and those were Wattle Dale (120) and Westwood (60) at Esperance; Kingussie (80) at Wagin and Mulga Springs (30) at Northampton.

The largest yarding of rams at a multi-vendor fixture was at the Esperance Breeders' ram sale where 232 rams were offered and 221 sold.

Other sizeable offerings were listed at Merredin (167 offered, 139 sold); Williams (159, 141); Wagin (140, 135) and Northampton (125, 124).

The four largest grossing sales all grossed more than $200,000 and they were Esperance ($402,100); Williams ($227,600); Wagin ($218,800) and Merredin ($212,200.

In comparison last season there were five sales to gross more than $200,000.