Heavy cutting rams were met by one of the biggest crowds yet at the Blink Bonnie Merino ram sale at Tarana on Friday.
Stud principal Peter Moore was pleased to report 47 of 54 rams sold to average $1146 and top at $3500, both up from last year's sale.
The draft were on average eight kilograms heavier than 2019, thanks to the arrival of rain in February and March, and proven themselves as wool growers.
"The rams were growing a lot of wool and some had 90 to 100mm in the seven month growth and some were cutting over 10kg of wool when shorn at that length," Mr Moore said.
"Genetics and selection are the only two choices you have got when breeding to improve them. Our sheep classer Allan Clarke from Dubbo works well alongside me. It is very pleasing to get a good line of sheep to cut a lot of wool.
The top price 89 kilogram ram that boasted a 19.2 micron fleece, fleece weight of 102 per cent, eye muscle of 30 and fat score of four was secured by Grant Toole, Spartan Pastoral Company.
The ram was one of six heading with Mr Toole to average $1650.
Spartan Pastoral had been busy spending almost the last month shearing up to 7000 sheep across properties at Nyngan, Parkes and Bathurst.
Shearing took place every eight months with their sheep growing 10mm per month.
"We shore the adult ewes and they cut 4.6kg as an average at eight months and reared a lamb," he said.
"(We look for) good wool cutters, good stretch, good bodies and long staple wool. We are trying to grow that long staple, SRS crimp style of wool. I don't chase micron, I chase more the length and the kilos."
He said they would sit on this year's wool and preferred to chase return per dse (dry sheep equivalent).
"One ram will cost you $3000 but it only works out that its $8/lamb in production," he said.
Hugh and Sue Webb, Grand Vista, Hazelgrove, took home 10 rams topping at $1300 and averaging $910.
Mark Kamper, Charlton, secured five rams averaging $1220 while Col and Cathy McPhee and their daughter Kirby of Rockley Mount went home with four averaging $1050.
The 186 one-year-old ewe offering were secured by Chad Bissell,The Lagoon, for $228/hd.
Mr Moore labelled it a sale full of very spirited bidding and the atmosphere was very enjoyable looking out to green countryside.
Elders Bathurst were agents with Dave Simpson as auctioneer.
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
