Woodyarrup Merino and Poll Merino stud, Broomehill, averages $2729 at ram sale

Steadfast buying support from the 102-year-old stud's strong following reflected the evolving depth of the 252 ram catalogue and the Dewar family and Woodyarrup team's efforts in consistently delivering a breadth of high quality rams with breeding values and research to back their performance potential.

With plenty of selection criteria at their disposal, the register of 49 stud and commercial buyers with strong local and surrounding area representation, stretching to the south coast, Esperance, upper Great Southern, central and eastern Wheatbelts and Eastern State's interest, competed strongly for their pre-mating requirements with the extensively measured, big framed, white wool rams with linkages to leading Woodyarrup and external sires and lifted values across the board.

At the completion of selling, the Elders selling team led by auctioneering duo Nathan King and James Culleton sold 247 rams (98 per cent) at auction for an overall average of $2729.

This was $86 up on last year's overall sale result where 250 of 253 rams (99pc) sold at auction to average $2643.

In the breed breakdown, 173 of 176 Merino rams sold for a $2879 average which was up $24 on average compared to last year where a total clearance of 193 rams averaged $2855.

The fewer Merino numbers reflects the growing representation and quality in the catalogue from the younger Poll stud which were the biggest improvers of the sale.

Poll ram numbers increased to 76 with 74 rams (97pc) selling under the hammer to average $2378, a significant $453 lift in average on last year's sale where 57 of 60 rams (95pc) sold at auction to average $1925.

A special moment in the sale was the Dewar family's generous donation of sale proceeds from two rams to Breast Cancer Research Centre - WA (BCRCWA) and Prostate Cancer Foundation of WA (PCFWA).

The BCRCWA ram sold to Myoting Plains, Quairading, represented by Woodyarrup stud co-classer Russell McKay, Elders stud stock, for $3000 and the PCFWA ram was purchased by 40 plus year Woodyarrup clients Lori and Tim Wray, T & L Wray, Broomehill, for $2000.

Top-priced ram buyers at recent sales the Doyle family, Wylivere Farms, Corrigin, kicked off the sale with a $7500 bid for lot one before making it three consecutive years when they paid the sale's $13,500 top price for the second ram offered.

The Doyles also paid $8750 for lot 16 with all three high indexing Merino rams selected from the sale opening run of 32 regulation March shorn prepared rams.

Their top priced ram was a high ranking 113kg May 2021-drop ram naturally bred by 151067 (son of impact sire 120175) which displayed June wool tests of 19.1 micron, 2.7 SD, 13.9 CV and 99.5pc CF and excellent ASBV performance of 7.15 PWWT (top 20pc of MerinoSelect database), 8.21 YWT (top 30pc), -0.46 YFAT, 1.01 YEMD, -1.43 YFD (top 30pc), 30.43 YCFW (top 10pc), 30.07 ACFW (top 10pc), 202.44 DP+ (top 5pc), 191.81 MP+ (top 5pc) and -0.2 EBWR.

Ben Doyle said they're always looking for rams that best suit them and the top ram stood out.

"For its wool at first, open his wool up and its real bundling with define crimp," he said.

"We take a bit of a look at its figures and the early growth rate influence and look for length and stretch and the way they step out."

The Doyle's $8750 bid (third top price) went to a 126kg ET bred son of 171883 (by N150073) in lot 16 with wool tests of 20.1 micron, 3.2 SD, 15.8 CV and 99.1pc CF and ASBVs of 8.01 PWWT (top 10pc), 10.26 YWT (top 10pc), 27.25 YCFW (top 20pc), 21.96 ACFW (top 30pc), 188.12 DP+ (top 20pc) and 188.19 MP+ (top 5pc), while their $7500 sale team leader was 115kg AI-bred ram by 170043 with figures of 20.8 micron, 3 SD, 14.3 CV and 99.1pc CF and ASBVs of 6.83 PWWT (top 20pc), -1.4 YFD (top 30pc), 33.34 YCFW (top 5pc), 28.91 ACFW (top 10pc), 181.53 DP+ (top 20pc) and 184.1 MP+ (top 10pc).

The Doyles have been buying Woodyarrup sires for their 400 ewe nucleus breeding program for eight years and Mr Doyle said the Woodyarrup infusion has had a strong influence.

"Full generation with Woodyarrup and its definitely coming through in our sheep," he said.

"The rams have to go a couple of hours north of here and the wools always hold up.

"We look for wools with good nourishment on big strong sound frames with early vigour and the rams we got today were consistent with what we were looking for."

With the rising costs of inputs, Mr Doyle said they are considering dropping a couple of paddocks from the cropping program and buying in a couple more lines of ewes to increase the coming joining numbers to 5000 commercial ewes.

A 111.5kg ram penned in lot eight earned $11,000 second top price honours with Elders stud manager Tim Spicer placing the winning bid on behalf of the Capel family, Bungulla, Manilla, New South Wales.

The naturally bred ram was another 151067 son with tests of 19.4 micron, 2.8 SD, 14.5 CV and 99.4pc CF and an even performance of ASBVs at 5.9 PWWT (top 30pc), 6.75 YWT, -0.66 YFAT, 0.17 YEMD, -0.78 YFD, 22.52 YCFW (top 20pc), 21.29 ACFW (top 30pc), 171.24 DP+, 166.8 MP+ (top 30pc) and -0.3 EBWR.

Woodyarrup stud co-principal Craig Dewar said the Capels had previously purchased semen from Woodyarrup 171883 and Whopper and were very happy with their lambs.

He said they were looking to improve their figures with Woodyarrup and wanted a sire to back up what they did with their AI program last year.

Darkan graziers P Doudle & Co collected two rams costing to the sale's fourth top price price of $8000 for a 121.5kg March shorn son of 170115 penned in lot four testing 20.3 micron, 3.3 SD, 16.2 CV and 99.3pc CF and a strong set of ASBVs including 6.43 PWWT (top 30pc), 30.99 YCFW (top 10pc), 26.69 ACFW (top 20pc), 177.16 DP+ (top 30pc) and 177.5 MP+ (top 20pc).

The next highest price of $6500 was paid by two buyers in their selections.

TF & RA O'Meehan & Peenebup PT, Borden, operating via phone outlaid a healthy $4340 average for a team of five rams including three Polls to a $4400 top and two horned rams with their $6500 top price going to a 113kg AI-bred son of 170077 with wool tests of 16.3 micron, 2.7 SD, 16.7 CV and 100pc CF and extremely high ranking ASBVs of 8.73 PWWT (top 5pc), 9.39 YWT (top 20pc), -2.9 YFD (top 5pc), 33.61 YCFW (top 5pc), 29.5 ACFW (top 10pc), 190.47 DP+ (top 10pc) and 199.73 MP+ (top 1pc).

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Long-time stud clients the Marsh family, Warrens Creek stud, Kojonup, purchased two new Merino sires with their $6500 top bid paid for lot three containing a 115.5kg ET bred ram by 140149 with figures of 18.3 micron, 3.1 SD, 16.9 CV and 99.8pc CF and 8.92 PWWT (top 5pc), 11.5 YWT (top 5pc), -1.9 YFD (top 20pc), 33.92 YCFW (top 5pc), 27.88 ACFW (top 10pc), 195.79 DP+ (top 10pc) and 194.73 MP+ (top 5pc).

The sale's $6000 top-priced Poll ram was purchased by Woodyarrup stud co-classer Philip Russell representing return buyers North Stirling Downs, Gnowangerup.

Penned in lot 13, the March shorn 121kg ram was an AI bred son of 171883 (grandsire N150073) with figures of 21.2 micron, 3.1 SD, 13.9 CV, 99.2pc CF, 8.25 PWWT (top 10pc), 9.78 YWT (top 20pc), 39.3 YCFW (top 1pc), 40.35 ACFW (top 1pc), 194.85 DP+ (top 10pc) and 198.46 MP+ (top 1pc).

There were plenty of other higher prices paid throughout the sale but it was the extensive list of buyers that built significant teams of rams at strong commercial values competing through to the final lot that consolidated the excellent sale.

The sale's biggest individual account was 12-year client Morgan Brothers, Cranbrook, with another team of 20 rams averaging $2795 at all price intervals between $1900 to $3600.

The sale's biggest exclusive Poll Merino buyer was 12-year clients Ken and Carlene Frost, Frost & Cave Farms, Kendenup, who finished with 13 Poll rams costing from $1500 to $2900.

Mr Frost said it's their third year of increasing their Merino ewe numbers with a closed ewe flock and will join 2500 ewes (2100 to Merino rams) from December 1 with their newest ram additions going over their maiden ewes.

He said they were Brickhouse clients before Woodyarrup purchased the stud, but can remember first coming to a Woodyarrup sale in 1960 when his family were originally Woodyarrup buyers.

"Moving to Woodyarrup, the people are great to deal with and the quality of the sheep is outstanding," Mr Frost said.

"I've been buying Polls for eight years and every year they're getting better and this year is the best I've seen them.

"As their quality has improved, I've noticed particularly over the past four years that more and more people are going to Polls and its showing in their values."

Other stronger Poll buyers were Woodyarrup stud co-classer Russell McKay, Elders stud stock, filling an order for Miripin Farm Pty, Kenmare, and finished the sale with 10 Poll rams averaging $2120, the Fowler family, Rapanui Pastoral, Williams, selected six rams costing to $4200 and averaging $2983 and Mr Russell sourced seven Poll rams at good value for Langoweira, Katanning.

Mr McKay was kept busy filling multiple orders including 12 Merino rams for return volume buyers Myoting Plains paying a firm average of $3067.

John Patmore, Springhill Farms & Patmore Feeds, Narrogin, is among the sale's more influential buyers and this year proved no different with a team of 12 Merino rams at a solid average of $3363.

Mr Patmore said they will be joining all their 2200 Merino ewe flock to Merino rams in January and was really happy with the Woodyarrup sheep since moving with the Brickhouse stud 12 years ago.

"I spent 20 plus years with Brickhouse and Woodyarrup is a similar type of sheep so it was a natural move," he said.

"I like the Woodyarrup wools, the sheep don't deteriorate, even at five to seven years old the wools are still the same.

"Probably for the last five or six years I have been trying to work on size in my selections.

"We are seeing it come through, this year's lambs look really good and I sold mutton last year averaging 27kg dressed weight.

"While we're concentrating more on size than micron at the moment, we've just shorn our hoggets and they tested 15.5 micron and our flock average is around 18.5 micron."

Other buyers to load 10 or more rams were Carslake Holdings Pty Ltd, Beverley, with 12 rams (nine horned, three Polled) costing from $1700 to $3800 to average $2650, Blackboy Hill Farms, Wellstead, with 11 Merino rams averaging $2309 and Keelocking South with 10 Merino rams averaging $2250.