2020 On-Property Ram Sale Report
Rocklyn Merino rams hit $2,800 top, three times, average $1,660.
Article and photos by Hannah Powe, The Land.
Buyers of two $2,800 top-priced rams Stephen (left) and Trevor (right) Cooper, TH Cooper and Co, Caragabal, with auctioneer Aaron Seaman, Elders, and Rocklyn Merino studmaster Ralph Diprose, Greenethorpe. Photo: Hannah Powe
Large volume buyers bought up big at the Rocklyn Merino on-property ram sale at Elon, Greenethorpe, today. Overall, Ralph Diprose of Rocklyn stud sold 58 rams of the 70 on offer, resulting in a 83 per cent clearance and $1,660 average (up from $1,431 last year).
Three rams hit the sale top price of $2,800. Two sold to long-term clients of around 15 years, Trevor and Stephen Cooper of TH Cooper and Co, Caragabal, who put together a draft of 10 rams total.
The first was Rocklyn 190035, a Poll Merino son of Bundilla 150009, that had Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) in the top 5pc for yearling clean fleece weight (35.8), Merino Production Plus Index (190.5) and Dual Purpose Plus (196.4), and top 10pc for yearling weight (9.4). He weighed 102.5 kilograms and measured 21.3 in the micron with a standard deviation (SD) of 3.6, a coefficient of variation (CV) of 16.8pc and clean fleece weight (CFW) of 98.85pc.
Rocklyn 190399 was also picked up by the Coopers for $2,800. He was a 20.3 micron horned son of Rocklyn 170021 with a body weight of 94.5kg. With a SD of 2.4, CV of 12.1pc and CF of 99.8pc, he had ASBVs in the top 5pc for YCFW and yearling fibre diameter coefficient of variation, and top 10pc for YWT. The Coopers averaged $2,200 across their 10 selections.
Auctioneer Aaron Seaman, Elders, Rocklyn studmaster Ralph Diprose, and buyers of a $2800 top-priced ram Bill Mendham, Grenfell, and his daughter Nichola Baker. Photo: Hannah Powe
Bill Mendham of Grenfell secured the third $2,800 high-seller, Rocklyn 190085 a son of Bundilla 150009, for his mixed farming operation. A repeat buyer of around six years, Mr Mendham is running 400 Poll Merinos ewes and is looking to restock.
"Normally we run three times that number," he said.
"Our growing sheep average a 18.4 micron and last year had an average wool cut of seven kilograms."
Always selecting for a dual purpose type, the Mendhams have a lambing percentage of 125pc.
"He (the ram) was a soft, big ram with bright wool ... I also liked his figures," he said.
Weighing 100kg, he was a 20.1 micron polled ram with an SD of 3, CV of 14.9pc and CF of 99.4pc. His ASBVs ranked top 5pc for YCFW (31.1), YWT (9.9) MP+ (192) and DP+ (203.3), and top 10pc for YFDCV (-1.9).
Six rams hit the second top price of $2,600. Mckellar Pastoral Co. of 'Oakhurst', Grenfell, were the largest volume buyers, putting together a draft of 11 rams for a $1655 average. New buyer Wyntrade, through Elders Young, purchased four rams for a $1,850 average.
For the first time, Rocklyn also live-streamed the auction on StockLive with 20 viewers from four states tuning into the sale. One ram sold via the platform for $2,600 to repeat client Susan Braid at Frogmore. The sale was conducted by Elders Young with Aaron Seaman as the auctioneer.