In line with sheep prices generally, the sale was back on last year however the rams presented very well and represented great value for buyers.
- Jim Litchfield, Hazeldean, Cooma
There was a one hundred percent clearance of the 24 Merino and Poll Merino rams offered by the Litchfield family at their Annual Woolgrowers Breakfast and Elite Ram Sale, at Hazeldean, Cooma, last Friday.
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These rams are the most accurately tested and highest performing rams on offer - a unique opportunity to source these industry leaders just once a year.
Only three Merino studs in Australia are recognized as being able to consistently and successfully break the nexus between high fleeceweights and high fibre diameter.
Hazeldean is one of them and has demonstrated this conclusively through independent analysis many times.
No other stud has been assessed more thoroughly and more often than Hazeldean.
Noting that genetic strength, returning woolgrowers, confident in the productive performance of the measured rams presented at Hazeldean, paid a top price of $7500, while the 24 rams averaged $2895.
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Repeat buyer, Narrangullen Pty Ltd, Wee Jasper, secured the top priced ram Lot 24, a heterozygous Poll Merino son of Hazeldean 12.4030.
The leading sale ram had the impressive fleece measurements of +39.6 for yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW), and -1.6 for yearling fibre diameter (YFD).
His Merino Production Plus Index (MP+) at +202 put him in the top five percent for the breed.
The second top price of $6500 for lot 3 was paid by David Michael of Captains Flat.
The homozygous Merino rams had the fleece measurement of +37.5 for YCFW and -1.2 for YFD. Also by Hazeldean 12.4030, Mr Michael's new sire had an MP+ of 199.
Another excellent sale was Lot 8, a homozygous Merino ram was purchased by Mick Miners from Dalgety, for $4500. A son of Hazeldean 00.2043, the ram's fleece measured +34.02 YCFW and -1.78 YFD.
Reflecting on the sale results, stud principal Jim Litchfield was happy that the genetic program of the stud is proving effective in client's Merino flocks, and that there were many repeat buyers attending the auction.
"In line with sheep prices generally, the sale was back on last year however the rams presented very well and represented great value for buyers," Mr Litchfield said.
The sale was listed on Auctions Plus, and settled by Nutrien Ag Solutions, Cooma, with Nutrien stud stock auctioneer Rick Power taking the bids.
- Further reading - First-cross ewes at Narrandera sell to $355| Photos
Stephen Burns
Jackaroo on Merino sheep studs in the Riverina, a lifetime working on the land with sheep, cropping and cattle. Graduate Charles Sturt Uni with degree in Business and a Dean's Certificate. Graduate C.B. Alexander Agricultural College
Jackaroo on Merino sheep studs in the Riverina, a lifetime working on the land with sheep, cropping and cattle. Graduate Charles Sturt Uni with degree in Business and a Dean's Certificate. Graduate C.B. Alexander Agricultural College
