Langdene Merino stud, marked their milestone 20th annual ram sale at Dunedoo, with a record on-property sale average of $3147, after the top price ram was pushed to $12,000.
Langdene offered 120 Merino and Poll Merino rams, with 118 lots sold for a $3147 sale average.
Ninety Merino ram lots were cleared, for a $3297 average and 28 Poll Merino rams were sold for a top of $8000, for a $2592 average.
The top price ram which fetched $12,000, was sold to repeat buyers’, Ken Wolf and Dave Zouch, “Hollow Mount”, Bigga.
The team at “Hollow Mount” also brought the Poll Merino top price ram, which fetched $8000 - in total the duo took home three rams for an $8266 average.
The top price Merino ram was sired by 110075 SYN and carried a 19.2-micron fleece.
It had a 2.6-micron standard deviation (SD), a 13.6 per cent coefficient of variation (CV) and a 100 per cent comfort factor (CF).
The top price Poll Merino ram was sired by W120026 and carried a 19.7-micron fleece.
It had a 2.9-micron SD, a 14.6 per cent CV and a 99.2 per cent CF.
Langdene rams caught the eye of “Hollow Mount”, principal, Ken Wolf, because after switching to the stud a decade ago, the wool cut increased from a flock average of 3.4 kilograms to 7.5kgs, while maintaining a consistent micron range.
“The aim is to get 8kgs of wool cut each ewe and we are confident we will get there in about two to three years by sticking with Langdene rams,” Mr Wolf said.
“Hollow Mount” manager, Dave Zouch, said the top ram had beautifully nourished wool, a large frame and was structurally correct with a great outlook.
“I thought he was the best ram on the day so we were not backing off – Langdene rams perform very well in our high rainfall area and consistently cut big weights,” he said.
The rams will be put to work in December/ January as artificial insemination and natural sires, to get maximum use out of the genetics.
The second highest price of $11,000 was fetched for a horned Merino ram and was sold to Glenburn Holdings, “Glenburn”, Collie.
Sired by 130615, it carried at 18.2-micron fleece, 3.2-micron SD, a 17.8 per cent CV and a 99.8 per cent CF.
Langdene Merino stud, principal, Garry Cox, said the sale’s great result was owed to the high number of return buyers and new clients who had confidence in the Merino industry.
“No doubt the season helped things to be pretty rosy for us today but the loyalty of our clients was the main reason,” he said.
“I think buyers’ had confidence because of the positive exposure we have had and a lot of clients have also achieved great things with our sheep.”
He said the two top rams were similar in traits, in particular, the length of body, scale and the quality wool.
Volume buyers’ Steve & Geraldine Gough, Belmore Ag Co, Yeoval, snapped up 12 rams, topping $4200, for an average of $2725.
A return buyer of 15 years, Mr Gough said Langdene’s draft was the best he had seen, saying “they’re as even as peas in a pod.”
Joining 4000 Merino ewes to Langdene rams annually, he said it’s the consistent, rich wool characteristics which keep him returning.
“They have a frame which will carry the wool around which is important but the wool quality is the biggest attraction to me – it has excellent characteristics – especially the crimp,” he said.
The sale also marked the first season Langdene Merino presented a line up of Poll Merino rams, which also enticed repeat buyers’ and new clients, including Mr Gough.
“I brought seven polls and five horned – traditionally we are a horned flock but I have confidence in Langdene’s background to try them out over a select few ewes,” Mr Gough said.
Seven was the lucky number of the day at Langdene, with multiple buyers’ purchasing this amount, including M. Lees and Sons, “Birrah”, Collarenebri, with their draft topping $3000, for an $2485 average.
Also taking home seven lots was Ian Moore, Giles Partnership, “Donaville”, Ilford, for a $2000 top and a $1542 average.
Buckulla Pastoral, “Coolga”, Burren Junction, also joined in on the bidding action, with seven rams topping $2200, for a $1914 average.
Another notable purchaser was Manuel Camus, who secured two rams, topping $8000, for his stud in Patagonia, Argentina.
The sale was conducted by Elders, Mudgee, with Andy McGeoch as auctioneer.
