East Strathglen sizzles to $15,500

East Strathglen stud’s annual ram sale was the richest so far for WA’s 2017 selling season, with a Merino ram reaching a top-price of $15,500 and an overall stud record average price of $2758.

The Sprigg family hosted their 28th sale in which 129 Merino rams averaged $2866 and 39 Poll Merino rams averaged $2401, with the combined average up $596 per head on last year.

The sale topper was secured by Nerstane stud co-principal Hamish McLaren, of Woolbrock, NSW, who was keen to take home an East Strathglen Merino bred by the stud’s Mundy sire.

“I used semen from the Mundy sired a few years ago which produced a ram that was recently awarded the 2017 Australian supreme Merino Ram title at Dubbo,” he said.

The 17.6 micron ram measured 3.3 SD, 18.8 CV and had a yield of 78.1 per cent and a comfort factor of 99.5.

The $10,500 second top-price Merino ram also had the Mundy factor and sold to repeat buyer Gerald Saunders, who trades as Saunders & Co, of Narrogin.

Mr Saunders also paid $9000 and $3000 for two other Merinos to use over a nucleus flock.

“I was selecting for conformation, square top-lines, width and depth,” he said.

Mr Saunders said he recently visited China’s woollen mill factories where concern about raw wool greasy stock was express-ed.

In the Poll Merino line-up, an Eastern States syndicate including West Plains and Edith Vale studs paid the $9500 top-price for a ram sired by West Plains Mercenary.

West Plains stud co-principal Drew Chapman said he was keen to take home the ram which had the East Strathglen ewe family combined with his own stud’s breeding.

The syndicate also paid $8000 for another Poll Merino ram and Mr Chapman paid $5000 outright for a third Poll.

With increased bidding competition this year, commercial woolgrowers had to step up to the plate in their ram investment, including Connamara Grazing which bought eight rams to a top of $4500 and average price of $3594.

The O’Keefe family, of Tambellup, secured 14 rams for an average price of $2571. There were a few new buyers at the sale including account LT Toovey & Sons, of Cranbrook, paying $4500 for a Merino ram.

First-time buyer trading as account AR Brown & Co, bought eight rams for an average price of $2594, while repeat buyer G Bruce & NK Hogg & Sons, of Williams, secured 10 rams for an average price of $2100.