2020 Annual On-Property Ram Sale

92

Total Rams Offered

100

Clearance

13,500

Top Price

2,395

Ave. Price
SALE DETAILS

Friday 18th September 2020

Inspection starts 10am
Sale starts 1:30pm
Download 2020 Catalogue
JOINT AGENTS
Ian and David with buyers Kerry and Peter Rowett, Landmark auctioneer Leo Redden holding the top price ram at the 2019 On-Property Sale >

2020 Pre-Sale Highlights

  • Another challenging season for most sheep producers, but thankfully sheep continue to provide strong returns.
  • Good premiums remain in the market for wool in the lower micron range.
  • The sale rams are now powering ahead strongly, we consider this year’s sale team to have good depth of quality throughout the catalogue.
  • The rams were given a tough run over the summer/autumn with very minimal supplementary fed hay, which we don’t mind as is sorts out the better doers.
  • Do-ability is something that we strive to achieve and the introduction of ASBV’s has helped significantly in this area. We also cull ewes heavily on do-ability and dag score.
  • We have noticed a very positive shift in the shape of clients ewe hoggets we have been classing over the past few years, a meatier more wedge shaped merino as opposed to the traditional slab sided merino which used to take a long time to look “finished”.
  • Mernowie has just clocked up thirty years of heavy culling of ewes that fail to rear a lamb each year. We consistently observe our maiden ewes with very strong maternal instincts. Mating well grown, young ewes at 12 months of age is consistently achieving over 100% lambing. To date this year we have weaned 128% lambs including maidens.
  • We again plan to AI over 800 ewes this year to proven sires with balanced ASBV’s for growth, fleece weight and meat traits. As many of you would of heard, we single pen lambed our AI ewes which was a huge success, especially given the higher number of multiples we get from AI (weaned 142% from the 4 programs). This process has enabled us to easily mother up all AI lambs, and will help us to identify the top performing ewes, which will help the accuracy of our ASBV’s.
  • All rams were staple length measured with just under 6 months wool.
  • We encourage all clients to take up our complimentary flock classing service, it’s a great opportunity for us to see where your flock is at and helps on sale day if required to direct you towards suitable rams to continue to improve your flock.
SALE RESULTS

Post-Sale Highlights

  • The stud’s record-breaking $13,500 top price ram was at lot 3. Opening at $5000, there was rapid fire bids at $200 rises before a fierce bidding dual at $500 increases between successful purchaser Don Baillie, Yanta stud, Tumby Bay and underbidder Ray and David Andriske, Andriske Farms, Galga.

  • The Andriskes were active on other top rams, including lot 1 at $6800 and lot 9 for the sale’s equal second-highest price of $7000. They secured four rams averaging $5200.

  • The other $7000 ram was at lot 10 – the heaviest ram in the catalogue at 114kg – purchased by PJ&AM Rowett & Sons, Bordertown.

  • Repeat buyers Wayne and Brendan Groves, Booleroo Centre, who have been buying Mernowie rams for over 15 years, secured five rams to $6800, averaging $5080.
  • Brooke Humble, Riverview Trust, Hamilton, bought four rams to $2600, averaging $2350, while loyal Mernowie client Grant Burge, Burge Estates, Tanunda, secured 21 rams to $3000, averaging $2048.
  • Other volume buyers were Mimited with 11 rams, averaging $1482; JL&MJ Wendt & Sons bought four rams averaging $2850; while MDG&KS Thomas bought four rams to average $1550.
View Full Sale Report
< Elders stud stock’s Tom Penna; Nutrien stud stock’s Leo Redden; Mernowie’s David Rowett and daughter Phoebe with the $13,500 record price ram that sold to Yanta stud, Tumby Bay.