Rocklyn Merinos reached a $2300 sale-top on Thursday during their annual on-property ram sale at Elon, Greenethorpe.
In total owner Ralph Diprose sold 45 Merino and Poll Merino rams to average $1162.
Return buyers, Ian and Ruth McKellar and sons from McKellar Pastoral Company, Girrahween, Grenfell, secured the $2300 top-priced ram Rocklyn 170114.
Sired by the Poll Boonoke 150026 sire, it was 17.6 in the micron and had a standard deviation (SD) of 2.3, a fibre diametre coefficient of variation (CV) of 18.7 per cent, a comfort factor (CF) of 99.4pc and a body weight (BWT) of 84 kilograms.
It was a trait leader in the top 30pc or better for yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW), the Fibre Production Plus Index (FP+), the Dual Purpose Plus Index (DP+) and Merino Production Plus Index (MP+)
The McKellars annually purchase all the rams needed for the coming year from the Rocklyn stud, this year securing a total of 11 for an average of $1373.
Two rams hit the second top price of $2200 and both were purchased by TH Cooper and Company from Myall Park, Caragabal.
The first ram to hit $2200 was Rocklyn 170167 by the Glenlea Poll 011739 sire. With a micron of 17.9, SD of 2.7, CV of 15.3pc, CF of 99.6pc and BWT of 89.5kg, it was in the top 30pc or higher for the FP+, DP+ and MP+ indexes, as well as for the yearling weight trait.
The other was Rocklyn 170314 by Rocklyn 150138, who recorded 18.8 in the micron, 3.4 SD, 18.2pc CV, 99.3pc CF and a BWT of 95kg. R170314 sat in the top 30pc or above for YCFW, yearling staple length and the MP+ Index.
TH Cooper and Company put together a line of six rams to average $1333.
Other volume buyers were Ridley Bros, Neurome, Caragabal, who selected five new sires for an $1120 average and GH. and A. Robertson, Junee, who bought five rams for an $800 average.
Most rams were sold to regular clients from the local area.
Elders conducted the sale with Aaron Seaman as the auctioneer.
