A PROMISING season in the north sent the Karbullah Poll Merino ram sale to a top of $4500 in Goondiwindi last Tuesday.
One hundred and thirty-nine out of 141 rams sold to an average of $1724, which was a $113 improvement on last year’s average.
The top-price ram was sold to Andrew Burgess, “Ruby Hills”, Walcha, who runs both a commercial Merino flock and his own stud production. Karbullah 150185 weighed in at 66 kilograms, had fleece measurements of 18.1-micron fibre diameter, 3 standard deviation (SD), 16.3 per cent coefficient of variation (CV) and 100pc comfort factor (CF).
Mr Burgess said he purchased the ram because he was looking to improve the fat and muscle in his sheep. After using an artificial insemination program with Karbullah rams once before, Mr Burgess said he was hopeful the ram would do the job for him.
The fact Mr Burgess has eliminated mulesing from his operation also meant he was looking for a non wrinkly sheep, which the ram was. “He’s a really well put together ram,” he said.
Russell Eatty, “Dunwinnie”, Thallon, was one of the volume buyers of the sale, purchasing five rams to top at $4300, the second highest price of the sale, and an average $2920.
Mr Eatty has been purchasing Karbullah rams for many years and likes their soft rolling skin and the fact they’re polled animals.
Most of Mr Eatty’s sheep production is Merinos, although he does use cross bred rams over his older ewes.
Buyers came to Karbullah from across NSW, with rams being sold into Dubbo, throughout the Tablelands, Walgett and Julia Creek. Plenty of rams also stayed local, selling to buyers from Mungindi, Thallon and Goondiwindi.
Karbullah stud principal, Mark Murphy, was pleased to see so many repeat and new buyers attend the sale.
He said he was pleased with the average, especially considering how dry Queensland had been. The sale was settled by the Australian Wool Network.