Anglesey to $2450 high

Plenty of magnificent rams were on offer at the Anglesey Merino and Poll Merino ram sale at Gnowangerup last week.

So good was the quality that all but one ram sold on the rail.

However, before the last call for bids, the passed-in pen was also declared sold - for a total clearance.

The offering of 112 sale rams (44 Merino, 68 Poll), minus the one Merino passed in, a total of 111 sold for an average price of $1436, a slightly higher $14/head above last year's average.

Anglesey co-principal Geoff Shepherdson paid tribute to the "up to standard" line-up as being very even in type.

The Landmark sale, under auctioneer Mark Warren, began with two $2000 equal top-priced Merinos, both selling to repeat buyer Tim Beeck.

The Gnowangerup farmer said both rams and his selection of three other Merinos for a total of five off the top line would benefit his family's 2200 commercial ewe flock.

"My selections of Merino rams all had deep bodies with bold out-looking wool showing above-average fleece weights," he said.

The rams all carried current August fleece test figures, plus scanned measurements taken in November for body weight, eye muscle depth and fat.

Mr Beeck's selections ranged in micron from 19.1 to 23, standard deviation from 2.7 to 3.8, coefficient of variation from 13.7 to 17, comfort factor from 96.3 to 99.5, while eye muscle depth ranged from 38.9 to 41.2 and fat from 4.1 to 5.2.

He said the plan was to run more wethers to add more flexibility to his livestock options, which would fit in with any varying seasonal conditions.

"Although the wool price needs a lift, compared with other commodities, we still very much enjoy growing the fibre," he said.

In the Poll catalogue, repeat buyer Roy Dolan, of Nyabing, bought the $2450 top-priced ram of the sale, out of pen 63.

"The ram's wool quality is very good and the Poll has very good length of body and depth," he said.

This ram recorded 21.5 microns, 3.3 SD, 15.3 CV, 97.9 CF, an EMD of 43.8 and fat of 5.0.

Mr Dolan said his family's 3500-ewe flock was nearly all polled.

In total, he secured 15 Poll Merino rams at the sale for an average price of $1867.

The $2250 second top-priced Poll Merino was bought by return buyer Maurice O'Neil.

The Ongerup woolgrower said the Anglesey sale offered an exceptional line-up of good quality rams with free-growing wools.

Mr O'Neil bought 10 Poll Merino rams for an average price of $1620.

Back in the Merino catalogue, an $1850 equal second top-priced Merino ram was bought by Peter Bradshaw, of Tambellup.

Mr Bradshaw added four more Merino rams to his shopping cart, to total five rams for an average price of $1640."Today's sheep prices are the best reason to maintain a productive flock," he said.

Buying from both catalogues, Paul Cunningham bought six Merino rams and two Poll Merinos.

Also working off the entire catalogue was Landmark agent Mike Moore, who secured eight rams for account DL & SL Williamson, of Cranbrook.

Anglesey Merino and Poll Merino Ram Sale * Breed Offered Sold Top Price Average Merino 44 43 $2000(2) $1286 Poll Merino 68 68 $2450 $1531 TOTAL 112 111 $2450 $1436

My selections of Merino rams all had deep bodies with bold out-looking wool showing above-average fleece weights. Tim Beeck