STUD competition on the top rams at the Barron families' annual Adina Merino and Poll Merino ram sale, Cooma, helped push the sale average to $1369, up $165 on the previous year.
The top ram sold for $5000 to the Alcock family, Greenland Merinos, Bungarby, in a strong line up of rams averaging 99 kilograms across the draft, with 31 of 42 rams sold
The top ram was a son of the Roseville Park 27 sire, described as having beautiful skin and wool at 18 micron, with a 3.3-micron standard deviation (SD), 18.3 per cent coefficient variation (CV) and 99.5pc comfort factor (CF).
Greenland stud principal John Alcock viewed the ram at the Adina inspection day and was impressed with its wool quality and cut.
Lionel, Andrew and Stephen Platts, Dunagree Pastoral Company, Bombala, paid $3000 for a "Little Fergie" son, growing 18.5 micron wool, with a 3.7-micron SD, 20pc CV and 99.5pc CF.
Tim Ferguson, Woodend Pastoral Company, Cooma, secured two rams for $2400 and $3000 respectively.
His top ram was by Roseville Park 27 and growing 16.7 micron wool, with a 3.4-micron SD, 20.2pc CV and 99.3pc CF, while the $2400 ram was by the Langdene 1-100 sire and a bit broader at 19.8 micron, with a 2.8-micron SD, 14.1pc CV and 99.5pc CF.
Peter and Greg Luton, "Talbaray", Shannons Flat, set a solid floor as the volume buyer, taking six rams at an $833 average.
Mr Luton, who runs 1400 ewes at a flock average of 19.5 micron, said they wanted the finer micron rams, with good clean staple length on a big framed sheep.
Full report in The Land November 13 edition
