CONSISTENCY in wool type is the main reason Graham and Pat Murray return to Grathlyn stud, Hargraves, for their replacement rams.
The Murrays are joining 2500 ewes in their self-replacing Merino flock growing an average 18.5 to 19 micron wool with cuts at 4.5 kilograms at Carravale, Laggan.
Mr Murray paid a $2166 average for three rams, including the $3250 sale-topper of 16.8 micron sired by Grathlyn 11-19, the 2014 Sydney Royal grand champion superfine ram and performance champion.
Another of the trio at $2250 was a 16.2 micron son of Grathlyn 12-12, the sire of the 2016 Sydney Royal Show supreme Merino ewe, which rose to glory from the superfine section.
Mr Murray said the top-priced ram was “consistent right through in the wool and had a good length of staple”.
Grathlyn stud operated by the Rayner family, Hargraves, combined their two studs, Grathlyn Merino and Lynford Poll Merino in their annual on-property sale last Thursday with the 29th annual Grathlyn stud clearing 13 rams at auction for a $1762 average.
It was Lynford stud’s eighth sale, which cleared 17 rams topping at $2500 twice and averaging $1309.
John and Sheryl Derrick, Karoola Downs Poll Merino stud, Adelong, paid the top in the Lynford draft for a 16.2 micron son of Poll Boonoke 14-0249 while the Newling family, Dunmore, Scone, paid equal price for a 16.9 micron son by the same sire.