THE average reached an all time record for Langdene Merinos at their 21st annual ram sale today at Dunedoo.
The Cox family experienced a 100 per cent clearance with rams hitting a top of $15,000 and averaging $3716 – their highest average yet.
Elders auctioneer Andy McGeoch said the stud presented a fantastic line of rams.
“They had the constitution, cut and quality of wool,” Mr McGeoch said.
Repeat buyer Ken Wolf from Hollowmount Pastoral Company, Bigga, purchased the top and second top priced rams.
The sale topper was embryo transfer (ET) ram Langdene 160963, by LD110075.
Weighing 110 kilograms, he measured 18.7 in the micron, 3.5 standard deviation (SD), 18.5pc fibre diameter coefficient of variation (CV) and had a comfort factor (CF) of 99.2pc.
The ram is in the top 20pc for yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW) recording 19.0.
He had Australia sheep breeding values (ASBVs) of 4.6 for yearling weight (YWT), -0.1 yearling fibre diameter (YFD), 118 dual purpose index (DP+), 133 Merino production index (MP+) and 125 for fibre produce index (FP+).
LD110963 was a brother to LD15-1567 who sold at the Rabobank Dubbo Merino National for $50,000 in August.
The second top price ram, also purchased by Hollowmount Pastoral Company, Bigga, was Langdene 160923.
Also a ET ram by the LD110075 sire, he weighed 109.5kg and measured 18.2 micron, 3.2 SD, 17.5pc CV and 100pc CF. He was -1.0mm in the eye muscle and -0.9mm in the fat depth.
With a yearling weight of 97kg, the ram’s ASBVs were 3.6 YWT, -1.4 YFD, 10.0 YCFW, 111 for DP+, 123 for MP+ and 122 FP+.
Taking home a total of three rams, Hollowmount averaged $8533 for their purchases.
A magnitude of both new and repeat buyers were driving prices up with 50 registered bidders from NSW and Victoria.
Multiple buyers include: Stephen Gough from Belmore Ag, Yeoval; Caringle Partnership, Mudgee; local buyers Alto Rural, Dunedoo, and Tovolea Partnershop, Gulargambone.
The sale was conducted by Elders with auctioneer Andy McGeoch at the helm.
Full sale report to follow.