Rams to $23,000 top at Katanning

Stud Merino rams sold extremely well, topping at $23,000 for an East Mundalla ram, at the 98th Rabobank Katanning Ram Sale last week.

Buyers pushed the average price to $9511 for 23 rams sold, up $2088 on last year when 13 sold for an average price of $7423.

Stud purchasers were very active as was the case for the sale-topping East Mundalla ram which was secured by a syndicate of WA stud breeders.

Buying a 50 per cent share of the Poll Merino ram, sired by East Mundalla Imperial 141, Eastville Park stud principal Rob Mullan, of Wickepin, said the ram had excellent wool quality and represented new genetics for his family’s stud.

“We plan to mate the ram to two different mobs of maiden ewes in our stud,” he said.

The 20 micron, 116kg East Mundalla ram was exhibited at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo in July where it was sashed reserve champion medium wool March shorn Poll Merino ram. The underbidder on the ram was Scott Pickering, of Pyramid Poll stud, Esperance.

Other highlights of the sale included a stud purchase of a $21,000 Poll Merino ram offered by Manunda stud and sold to the Crosby family’s St Quentin stud, of Nyabing.

After being sashed supreme exhibit of the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo Show, an Angenup Merino ram sold for $20,000 to the Doncon family’s Eastville stud, located at Wickepin.

Also selling for $20,000, a Mianelup Merino ram, earlier reserve grand champion March shorn Merino ram at the expo, was bought in partnership by Boonoke West stud and Canowie Fields stud.