CLOSING the final chapter of the Kerin family's association with the GullenGamble Poll Merino stud, their 23rd annual on-property ram sale at Yeoval on Tuesday reached a $8000 top and $2561 average for 128 rams sold of the 135 offered.
Mark and Kym, and their son Nathan (Wal) Kerin and his wife Hannah recently sold the GullenGamble stud in its entirety to third generation commercial sheep producer Stewart Edwards and his sons Max and Hugh who were introduced during the sale.
"We are pleased the flock has stayed as a whole and young family with enthusiasm has taken over," Mark Kerin said.
"The sale will be the same time next year, with the rams still under my guidance as I continue to work closely with the Edwards going forward."
Oaklands Pastoral Company purchased the $8000 top-priced ram for its Cumnock based operation that joins 3500 Merino ewes annually.
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GullenGamble S201956 was the spring 2020-drop sale-topping sire prospect. He was sired by GullenGamble 160237 and weighed 88 kilograms with a 18.1 micron fleece that had a standard deviation (SD) of 2.7, a coefficient of variation (CV) of 15.1pc and a comfort factor (CF) of 99.8pc.
Ranking within the top five per cent for yearling weight (11.3), top 10pc for Dual Purpose Plus Index (177) and top 20pc for yearling fat (1.0) the ram was a stand-out in the draft.
Oaklands Pastoral owner Philip Dodds said they are long-time clients of the stud, and "the GullenGamble type just works."
"They [GullenGamble rams] have done us well in the past," he said.
"We were looking for good fleece weight, and a micron around the 18 mark which the lot 100 ram had. He was a ram that stood out with good weight."
Mr Dodds said they are joining around 3500 Merino ewes and are focused mainly on wool but like a dual purpose type if they can get it with an 18.5-micron fleece.
In total Oaklands Pastoral four rams and averaged $5375 across the draft.
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The second top price of $7500 was paid by GW and LE Carney, for GullenGamble 200177, an autumn 2020-drop 99kg ram sired by GullenGamble 181487 which was 19.2 in the micron.
The Carneys took purchased four averaging $4625.
First-time buyers Pastoralize Pty Ltd at Bigga were the largest volume purchasers which secured 18 rams at an average of $1903.
Joining 2500 Merino ewes, Pastoralize manager Nathan Robertson said they were looking for the combination of wool and meat that the GullenGamble genetics offer.
"We are just running sheep, and target an under 20 micron fleece, but our focus is on the size of the animal and wool cut over micron," Mr Robertson said.
"At the moment we are keeping our wethers while we are building our numbers up... we only started in April."
Repeat buyers were active through the draft with Don MacDonald, MacDonald Grazing Company, Molong, selecting 12 rams for a $3083 average, and Matt Kerin of MAKAG, Netherwood Park, Yeoval, purchasing nine for a $1694 average.
The sale was conducted by Elders Dubbo with guest auctioneer Paul Dooley, Tamworth.
- Full report in next week's The Land newspaper.
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