Anderson Poll Merinos find stud interest at $10,000

A first-time buyer syndicate of Anderson Poll Merino rams paid the most, bidding to the top price of $10,000 at the Anderson family’s annual ram sale, that offered “traits of the future”. The sale, conducted by Nutrien Livestock, interfaced with Stock Live and held on October 22, offered 164 rams that resulted in 148 sold for an average price of $1968. This was up $356/head on last year when 164 rams were offered and sold to a top of $6000 and average price of $1612. Nutrien Livestock Kojonup agent Troy Hornby said it was a strong sale with solid support from return buyers who were confident in selecting the measured genetics offered by the Anderson family. Stud co-principal Lynley Anderson said she appreciated the support of returned buyers, whose catalogue selections represented a consistent performance across a wide range of environments and breeding programs. “I was very pleased that nine of the rams were sold to leading stud interests,” she said. The sale topper, tag 24-0675 offered as lot 108, sold to a syndicate of three studs including O’Brien Poll Merinos located on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Stud principal Darren O’Brien said he was mostly chasing fertility with his selection — buying the $10,000 ram in syndication with two other studs. The ram measured in the top 1 per cent for two traits and two indexes — 0.43 WR and -0.9 LDAG, and 151 Merino Lamb, 172 Sustainable Merino. Mr O’Brien also paid $3600 for another ram as an outright buyer. The $6500 second-top-priced ram, tag 24-0308 offered as lot 90, was secured by second-year return buyer Wes Lavender, of Quindanning. Mr Lavender said he was chasing eye muscle depth with a low breech wrinkle figure to infuse into his 600-head nucleus flock to breed replacement ewes and rams for his family’s 5000 commercial breeders. His first-pick selection had a top 1 per cent YEMD (4.1) and a low LDAG trait (-0.78) — top 5 per cent. He secured two other rams for $2800 each. The third $5000 top-priced ram, tag 24-0609 offered as lot 134, was secured by NSW-based Kerin Poll Merino stud principal Nigel Kerin, who secured a total of five rams for an average price of $3440. New buyer Michael Todd, who trades as Lagoon Partnership in Victoria, secured three rams to a top of $4000 and average price of $4733. “I was keen to acquire world-class measured genetics and will put the rams over my family’s self-replacing flock of 3000 Merinotech blood Poll Merino ewes,” he said. Return buyers John and Jack South of Darkan secured 10 rams to a top of $3000 and average price of $1980. Local woolgrowers Digby and Nikki Stretch secured eight rams to a top of $3000 and average price of $1725. “We are pushing hard on worm resistance with a focus on breech wrinkle and minimum fibre diameter while increasing fleece weight,” Mr Stretch said. “We stopped mulesing in 2007 and are aiming to market our wool certified as Responsible Wool Standard.” Tasmanian woolgrower Henry Dunbabin was back at the sale to secure three rams for an average price of $2467. “I was chasing growth and size with above average fleece weight,” he said. “Since we been using Anderson rams, our wool style has opened up which allows more growth and resistance to flies.” Volume buyers were Gary and Sarah Dring of Eneabba, who secured a total of 13 rams for an average price of $1000. “We were aiming for fertility with good fleece wool to run in our self-replacing flock of 4000 breeders,” Ms Dring said. “We’ve been using Anderson rams for five years and since have noticed increased yearling weight and we are marking 115 per cent in our lambs.” ANDERSON POLL MERINO RAM SALE Offered: 164 Sold: 148 Top price: $10,000 Average: $1968