Mollerin Rock ram sale peaks at $3600

The Cadoux-based Applegate family held its fifth on-property sale a week earlier than normal, but this had little impact on their clients who were out in force to secure their dual-purpose genetics.

On the back of an extremely even line-up of rams available for penning, the stud increased its offering to 115 head, up 10 on their previous sale, of which 98 of the sires were sold under the hammer by Elders auctioneer Nathan King at an average of $1316, down $67 on last year.

Of the 25 registered buyers, 22 made at least one purchase.

(Under the hammer results)

And it was regular return buyer Gavin Hagboom, WR Hagboom & Co, South Dowerin, who won the bidding war over pen 34 for what would be the top-priced ram of the afternoon.

Mr Hagboom, who attended the sale with his sons, Ashton and Riley, and also his father Colin, had been the losing bidder on a number of rams previously that had reached prices over $3000.

When it came to this particular ram, he was willing to do what he had to do to make sure it was knocked down in his name.

The 95 kilogram single-born ram exhibited a number of Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) ranked in the top five per cent, including a 7.3 weaning weight (WWT), 11.1 post weaning weight (PWWT), 12.4 yearling bodyweight (YWT), 2.0 eye muscle depth (EMD), -1.7 yearling coefficient of variation (YCV) and a Dohne index of 195.6.

It had a yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW) of 12.0 and 1.5 yearling fibre diameter (YFD) and May wool figures of 20.3 micron and 99.6 per cent comfort factor (CF).

Mr Hagboom said the ram ticked a lot of boxes for what they were looking for, having started breeding from some of the first embryos in Western Australia in 1998 before later moving in to commercial breeding where they now run a ewe flock of about 2600 head.

He said son Ashton had studied the ASBVs of the Mollerin Rock line-up prior to the sale and pen 34 was their top pick from the catalogue, so they were pleased to see it measured up by sight.

The ram was one of seven bought by Mr Hagboom at an average of $2029.

Losing bidder on the top-priced ram was Nutrien Livestock, Esperance representative Jake Hann, who was acting on behalf of JC & TB Sullivan, Gibson.

But he managed to secure two rams for the first-time buyers, both of which Mr Hagboom was losing bidder on, for $3500 and $2900 respectively.

The $3500 ram in pen 17 achieved the second-top price of the sale, and had impressive ASBVs including 5.0 WWT, 7.6 PWWT, 8.9 YWT, 1.8 EMD, 17.3 YCFW, 0.1 YFD, -0.8 YCV, a Dohne index of 178.7 and wool figures of 18.1 micron and 100pc CF.

Mr Hann said the Sullivans, who cross Centre Plus Merinos with Dohnes, were wanting to see the impact of other Dohne genetics and bloodlines within their flock.

He said they wanted a meat carcase sheep that was good and honest in the wool and that would be a good mother to lambs on the ground.

Mr Hann also successfully bid on three rams for another first-time buyer, I & C McCallum, Condingup, at an average of $2267 and to a top of $2800, who intend to use the sires within their cross-bred operation of White Suffolk rams over Dohne ewes.

"They have found that the Dohne's make better mums, and their wool can handle the harsh wet conditions," he said.

Volume buyer of the afternoon was Simon Emmott, W Emmott & Sons, Moonijin, who returned after visiting the stud for the first time last year to secure another 11 rams at an average of $782.

Mr Emmott said he was experimenting with the Dohne genetics and the rams would be used over a mob of Merino ewes.

The sale, held under an eco-dome, got off to quite a frenetic start, with the first eight rams knocked down to eight different buyers.

Lot one was secured by Elders, Wongan Hills agent Jeff Brennan on behalf of Harding Sawyer, Dalwallinu, for whom he went on to buy a total of 10 rams at an average of $850 and to a top of $1000 on three occasions.

Also active throughout the sale was Wemyss Estates Pty Ltd, Manjimup, who bought nine rams at an average of $1356 and to a top of $1800.

Regular volume buyer Mark O'Driscoll, M & M O'Driscoll, Grass Valley, was back once again and was the winning bidder on seven rams at an average of $971 and to a top of $1600.

Also taking home a ute-load of Dohne genetics were M & J Stratford, Koorda and RW & CI Crombie, Corrigin, who each bought six rams at an average of $1317 and $1550 respectively.

Another four clients bought four rams each - NP Burges & Co, Meckering, at an average of $1700; AN & E Tunstill, Kalannie, at an average of $2400 and to a top of $3000; Jeffries Farms, Bencubbin, at an average of $750 and AE & KM Spark, Dowerin at an average of $825.

A number of buyers selected three rams, including Ian Clarke and Jenny-Lee Christison, IM & JC Clarke & Co, Goomalling, paying an average of $1367 and to a top of $1700.

Mr Clarke said it was his fourth year and he had been very happy with the performance of the Dohne rams he had selected from the stud previously, as well as being very impressed by how even the line-up was at this year's sale.

Also buying three rams were CE & SD Crute, Dowerin, at an average of $900; NW Greaves & Sons, Koorda at an average of $1133 and TA & D Boyne and Sons, Koorda at an average of $833.

Muresk Institute of Agriculture, Northam, bought two rams, as did SE & VL Munns, Beacon; GC Wright, Moora; and D & RC Storer, Koorda.

Stud co-principal Mitchell Applegate said the family was extremely grateful for the support they had received from new and existing clients at this years' sale.

Also in attendance to lend their support was Australian Dohne Breeders' Association representative Greg Hall and wife Liz, from Ulooloo Dohne Merino stud, Hallett, South Australia.