General News
3 September, 2023
New buyers alert for top prices
TOP-PRICED rams at last Friday’s Willera Merino’s on-property sale will be put to work on the Beaufort property of Australia’s largest importer of wool into China Qingnan Wen. Lal Lal Mawallock Farm managers Andrew and Ann Welsh bid $5000 for...
TOP-PRICED rams at last Friday’s Willera Merino’s on-property sale will be put to work on the Beaufort property of Australia’s largest importer of wool into China Qingnan Wen.
Lal Lal Mawallock Farm managers Andrew and Ann Welsh bid $5000 for two rams on their way to being the biggest volume buyer at the sale.
Sixteen of the 177 rams offered were bought for Lal Lal Mawallock. The clearance was 155 rams selling for an average of $2420.
Strong demand for the increased offering by Willera was evident from the opening lot.
Great Western’s J. and M. Kilpatrick paid $5000 for the 17.3 micron wool ram.
It was the first time Lal Lal Mawallock had purchased rams at the Willera sale.
“We would have been here last year for the sale but we were snoozing,” said Mr Welsh. “We made sure that didn’t happen this year.”
He said the breeding goals of Lal Lal Mawallock and Willera were similar and had attracted him to the bloodline.
Running a non-museling farm as is Willera, “we are looking for a micron between the mid-17 and 18, bold wool type as well as greasy fleece weight,” he said.
“And it’s the ability of the sheep to handle cold snaps and heat that is important.”
The top-price rams had 17.7 and 17.8 micron fleeces.
Among local buyers was Pompapiel’s Darryl Chappel who was a successful bidder on four rams.
“I’ve been buying here for a long time. I like the free-growing wool style and length that are ideal for six-monthly shearing ... and Willera is local,” he said.
Willera manager Simon Coutts was pleased with the high clearance at the auction.
“We had been on the crest of a wave the last couple of years and we knew the price would be back this year,” he said.
“Today’s prices were realistic and pleasing. Last year the feedback was for more rams to be offered so we increased the number by 40 and have had a very good clearance. It’s meant people have been able to get their order.”
Simon said the previous week’s inspection day had helped generate interest in the on-property auction.
“We had new clients come to the inspection day to get a feel for our rams,” he said.
“It can be daunting for new buyers attending a stud’s auction for the first time.
“We had the demand and the prices were about where we thought they would end.”
Other significant buyers at Friday’s auction included Tottington St Arnaud with 13 rams and Gippsland-based Langley Farms who bought 10 rams.
The Loddon ram sale season continues tomorrow at Norm Weir’s Kerrilyn Stud, Dunluce, when 50 rams will be offered.