LOYAL clients were back again this year for the Greenland Merinos annual un-housed, on-property sale held at “Mountain View”, Cooma, on October 16.
Fifty five rams sold of the 68 offered for a 81 per cent clearance, averaging $1660.
Lawrence and Melissa Clifford from Bindaree Merinos, Rocky Plain, paid $4400 for the top price Merino ram.
The Greenland 160670 ram, by Westray 140053 from Greenland 120928, weighed 106 kilograms with a 19.2 micron, 3.7 standard deviation (SD), 19.6pc coefficient of variation (CV) and a comfort factor (CF) of 99.4pc.
Above average for Australian sheep breeding values, the ram was 5.4 for yearling weight, 19.0 yearling clean fleece weight, -0.1 yearling fibre diameter, -0.1 yearling fibre diameter coefficient of variation and -0.30 for intramusclar fat.
Heading into a flock of 300 stud and 400 commercial ewes, Mr Clifford said the ram had good style of wool and length of staple.
“He is a good square ram that stands well,” he said.
Greenland 160724 was the second top price ram fetching $4300 and selling to Yarran Agriculture, Young.
Also sired by the Westray 140053 ram, from Greenland 110683, the 160724 ram weighed 111kg. It measured 19.6 in the micron, 4.1 SD, 20.9pc CV and 98.7pc CF.
Victoria buyer Kevin Harvey, Strathdownie, purchased six rams for a top of $2400 and a $1683 average.
Other large volume buyers were NW. Mangelsdorf, Cootamundra, who secured a draft of 10 rams for a $1330 average and a $2600 top.
Greenland co-principal John Alcock, said they were happy with the support from loyal clients as well as new clients.
“Good stud rams sold very well at the start of the sale,” Mr Alcock said.
Landmark auctioneer Tim Woodham, Wagga Wagga, said the quality rams sought strong competition from buyers.
Schute Bell Badgery Lumby; Monaro Wool Services, and Landmark Cooma conducted the sale with Mr Woodham, Landmark, taking bids from the rostrum.
