THE Carlon family of Queenlee Merinos at Uralla sold 44 of 70 rams at their 30th annual ram sale on Tuesday.
Bidding reached a top of $2800 and averaged $964.
Three lots of ewes, totalling 1327 head, were offered before the sale with 1060 selling to a top of $92.50 and an average of $84.75 per ewe.
It was the first ram of the sale that took tops price honours with Cameron Gall of Wilson’s Creek Pastoral Company at Uralla bidding under the guidance of AWN’s John Croake.
The two-year-old March shorn ram by TC20 measured a fiber diameter of 17.3 micron, with 78.1 per cent yield, a standard deviation of 3.16pc, comfort factor of 99.8, clean fleece weight of 116pc and a fecal egg count of -9. The Wilsons, who have purchased from Queenlee for the past 10 years, described the ram as a “great upstanding sire with bulk, frame and stylish wool”.
The ultrafine wool growers join 4500 ewes annually and average 16.5-micron.
“We are looking for a ram that will keep us developing in a positive direction with increased fleece weight and size and micron maintained,” Mr Gall said.
Max and Ralph Price, Mudgee, secured a TC20 son for $1400 and a Blue 14 son for $1100.
Selecting on big frame and good wool type Max Price said he was aiming to broaden his micron and get a heavier cut.
The volume buyer was Rockvale Kentucky Pastoral Co, Kentucky, who selected eight rams to average $963.
The sale was conducted by Landmark and Schute Bell.