WITH a reputation for highly productive, heavy-cutting and stylish Merino sires, Langdene Merino stud drew a crowd of new and repeat buyers to its 25th annual on-property ram sale at Dunnedoo on Friday last week.
Overall, 136 from 138 rams were cleared to an average of $3946 and to a high of $18,500. In the breakdown, 92 from 94 Merino rams were sold to an average of $4365 and to a top of $18,500, while all 44 Poll Merinos were sold to an average of $3080, topping at $8500.
Bids came in thick and fast for the high seller, 200005, which sold to longtime clients of more than a decade, Hollow Mount Merino stud, Bigga, at $18,500.
Sired by OO130351, the 16-month-old Merino ram carried an 18.2-micron fleece with a 2.2-micron standard deviation, a 12.1 per cent coefficient of variation and 100pc comfort factor.
His Australian sheep breeding values for fibre diameter (YFD) placed him in the top 10pc of the breed, while his fibre produce index (FP+) of 148.9 placed him in the top 30pc.
He recorded a dual purpose index (DP+) of 145.3 and a Merino production index (MP+) of 156.8. The ram was one in a draft of three Merinos that Mr Zouch secured on behalf of Hollow Mount, for an average of $9500.
Vendor Garry Cox said the ram was embryo transfer (ET) bred and had good, stylish wool.
"We've kept our hand on the pulse to breed good sheep and we've used a lot of artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer technology," he said.
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The second-top ram, 201502, sold to KD and RA Cartwright, Goulburn, at $12,000.
A son of RP143033, the 14-month-old Merino carried a 17.7-micron fleece with a 2.7-micron SD, a 15.2pc coefficient of variation and 99.8pc comfort factor. His Australian sheep breeding values for fibre diameter placed him in the top 20pc of the breed, while he recorded a fibre produce index of 140.08, a dual purpose index of 129.09 and a Merino production index of 145.
Mr Cox said that in it's 25th year, Langdene Merino stud had recorded its best-ever average.
"It was a great result. The key to our success has really been in the number of buyers that come back year on year," he said.
Volume buyers were Peter Portelli, Mudgee, who purchased 10 rams to an average of $1950; A.P. and S.M. Croft and E.M. Holcombe, Burren Junction, who purchased eight rams to an average of $2437; D.B. Freeth and Sons, Collie, who purchased seven rams to an average of $4571 and Giles Partnership, Ilford, which purchased seven rams to an average of $3142.
Selling agents were Elders and Nutrien, Dubbo, with Paul Jameson auctioneering.
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