Renewed interest in Merinos is shining through at annual ram sales across the region with average prices and clearances up compared with 2017.
At Kurrajong Park Merinos, Delungra, brothers Rodney and Graham Kent sold all 50 rams offered for a top of $2700 and an average of $1298. Geoff Swain, “Back Creek”, Nundle, bought the top priced ram, while the charity ram offered was sold to Inverell’s Ben Swan for $1500 with all proceeds and agent’s commissions being donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Newcastle.
The van Eyk family from Shalimar Park Merinos, Wollun, sold 56 of 60 rams on offer for a top of $2600 and an average of $1120. Tasmanian Merino breeder, Daniel Tribolet, Swanston, bought the 17.4-micron ram over the phone with the help of Schute Bell Badgery Lumby agent Phil Evans. Volume buyer was, David Tooth, Primrose Partnership, Wallabadah, who purchased 12 rams to average $966.
All but two of the 75 rams offered at the Power family’s Airlie Merino and Poll Merinos were sold for a top of $6100 and a $1905 average at the stud’s annual ram sale at the Uralla Showground. The top priced ram was purchased by David Menzies, “Castlebrook”, Uralla, and Bruce McConnaughty “Elstow”, Barradine.
The Symons family’s Lemani Merinos “Taviton”, Ashford, had a 93 per cent clearance to average $805, up $150 on 2017. Repeat buyers Scott and Rhonda Conkey from Belcon Pastoral Company, Ashford, purchased the top-priced ram for $1600.
The McLaren family sold all 184 rams offered at the Nerstane Merino Stud on property sale at Woolbrook to average $2652 (up $379 on 2017). They also sold stud ewes for a top of $420 and young commercial ewes for $216 a head.
The Laurie family, Walcha, bought the top-priced ram for $6500, while Grove House Partnership, Jericho, Tasmania, purchased the top-priced poll for $5250.
Elders stud stock and wool manager John Newsome said renewed interest in the wool market helped drive ram sales across the region.
“The ram selling season here opened really strongly and there’s renewed confidence in Merinos on the back of a very solid wool market. Clearances at sales so far are definitely up with some clients looking to buy a few more Merino rams,” he said.
“Overall the average prices has been up by a couple of hundred dollars compared with the year before.”