Dongiemon ram sells to high of $2700

The usual top line-up of elite medium wool Dongiemon Merino rams and fine and superfine wool Tilba Tilba Merino and Poll Merino rams greeted the studs' band of followers and prospective buyers descending from diverse areas such as local and surrounding Great Southern districts, South West, South Coast and northern Wheatbelt.

And while seasonal conditions haven't been easy for a lot of the Rintoul family's client base, some cautious optimism about the wool market improving and an eye to the future with their breeding programs saw elevated bidding competition improve results across all sale indicators.

At the completion of selling, the Nutrien Livestock and Elders selling teams, led by Elders auctioneer Preston Clarke, collectively cleared 131 rams (82 per cent) of the quality 160 ram catalogue at auction for an average of $1230.

This marked a $46 jump in the overall average compared to last year's sale where 128 of 170 rams (75pc) sold under the hammer for an average of $1184.

Broken down, the sale saw 88 of 100 Dongiemon Merino rams (88pc) find new homes at auction to average $1326, a rise of $68 compared to last year's average of $1258 recorded for 97 of 110 rams (88pc) to sell.

In the Tilba Tilba line-up, 25 of 30 Poll Merino rams (83pc) sold under the hammer to average $1024, a minor jump of $5 on last year's sale where 21 of 24 rams sold (88pc), while in the Merinos 18 of 30 rams were cleared for an average of $1044, a $234 jump on last year's sale where only 10 of the 36 rams (28pc) sold at auction for an average of $810.

The team of 100 Dongiemon Merino rams kicked off the sale and it didn't take long for prices to peak with the upstanding ram in pen three knocked down for the sale's $2700 top price to loyal long-term buyer AJ Batt & Co, Boddington.

The regulation March shorn prepared ram displayed late September wool tests of 20 micron, 4.4 SD, 22 CV and 98.7pc comfort factor (CF).

The Batt family collected a further three Dongiemon rams, spending from $1100 to $2100.

Another long-term client and regular operator at the top of the Dongiemon market DCS & JA Fowler, Williams, paid the sale's next highest price of $2300 deep in the catalogue for one of six May shorn rams with their top bid going to the ram in pen 73 with wool tests of 22.1 micron, 4.1 SD, 18.6 CV and 98.3pc CF.

The most influential buyer of Dongiemon rams was regular buyer Gary Abbott, GJ & RE Abbott, Duranillin, who amassed a team of 16 rams costing from $900 to $2200 to join the operation's battery for its forthcoming joining in January.

Mr Abbott, who attended the sale with his son Tim, said he had been buying rams at Dongiemon for close to 20 years.

He said the Dongiemon sheep have soft, well-nourished wools and do well in their area.

Long-time buyer of more than 25 years NH Winspear & Co, Broomehill, bid to $2200 twice in their team of six rams, first for pen seven containing a ram testing 20.9 micron, 4 SD, 19.1 CV and 98.8pc CF and again in pen 80 for a ram with tests of 20.3 micron, 3.6 SD, 17.7 CV and 99.4pc CF.

Some of the other bigger teams of Dongiemon rams purchased included Norrine Farms, Pty Ltd, Pingelly, who operated at good value for 10 rams costing from $800 to $1600, Blueburn Farming, Williams, paid to $2000 twice on their way to collecting eight rams and Commodine Farms, Cuballing and DA Carter, Williams, each sourced seven rams.

The sale then rounded the corner to the line-up of Tilba Tilba Merino and Poll Merino rams.

Consistent buyer at the sale for 15 years John Meier, JW & MJ Meier, Bremer Bay, bid the $1800 top price for one of two Tilba Tilba Merino rams.

The March shorn prepared ram led the sale team of Merino rams and displayed wool tests of 16.8 micron, 3.2 SD, 19 CV and 99.9pc CF.

The Meier family runs a 60pc livestock and 40pc cropping farming enterprise and are gearing up to shear almost 8000 sheep (including lambs and hoggets) commencing next week.

He said the new rams would be added to the battery to join a nucleus flock of 200 ewes to breed future flock rams for the 3500 to 4000 Merino ewes which are mated in mid-November.

Mr Meier said the Tilba Tilba wool type and constitution did well on the South Coast.

"Some sheep don't seem to do so well in the higher rainfall areas," Mr Meier said.

"We look for bright white wool on the rams with not too much colour, evenness of crimp from front to back, depth of body and a strong backline to avoid the flies.

"And we don't get any fleece rot or body strike with the Tilba Tilba sheep."

PJ & LJ Foster, Busselton, paid the next highest price of $1700 for one of three Poll rams saved for the final ram offered, testing 17.7 micron, 2.6 SD, 14.7 CV and 100pc CF.

WA College of Agriculture, Harvey, also paid a $1700 top for one of two Poll rams testing 18.3 micron, 3.1 SD, 16.9 CV and 99.9pc CF.

Volume buyers in the Tilba Tilba line-up was GR & SL Mead, Chowerup, who collected six Poll rams and two Merino rams at auction paying from $800 to $1600 and an added an additional four of the overlooked Merino rams to their account.

E & EB Pessotto purchased eight Merino rams from $800 to $1400 while Ben Kealy, Nutrien Livestock Williams, representing GM Klug, Williams, sourced seven Tilba Tilba Poll rams to go with the six Dongiemon rams purchased earlier in the sale at value for $800 each across the team of 13 rams.