A LAST-MINUTE inclusion in Terrick West’s on-property Merino catalogue has topped the state’s opening ram auction of the year.
Stud advisor Chris Bowman bought the opening lot for Craig and Tessa Johnston, Austral-Eden Merino stud (West Wyalong) for $12,000.
Mr Bowman said he had seen the ram perform well at last month’s Australian Sheep and Wool Show and liked its structure and barrel confirmation.
“It’s a well-balanced ram and with excellent well-nourished medium wool,” he said.
“The ram has good shape and meat below the tail.”
The ram will be joined with some of Austral-Eden’s thicker-locked ewes while Terrick West will retain 300 straws of semen for its use.
Statistics for the top-selling ram were 19.1 micron fleece with a standard deviation of 2.8, coefficient variation of 14.9 and comfort factor of 99.8 per cent.
Terrick West co-principal Ross McGauchie said: “We wanted to have a really good ram in the sale this year and it’s gone very well.”
The McGauchies had decided to include the top price ram in the catalogue weeks before last Friday’s sale.
Bidding was strong on the first half of the 80-ram catalogue with regulars among the active bidders.
“The top end was quite strong, we weren’t anticipating that so we’re very happy,” Mr McGauchie said.
The auction saw 57 rams from the 80 offered sell for an average of $3021 with a number of rams selling privately following the sale.
The result compared wiuth Terrick West’s 2024 sale, which saw 65 of 84 rams sold for an average price of $3188 and a top of $10,000.
Among returning Loddon buyers last Friday were Grant Langley from Newbridge, Pompapiel Pastoral and the Carlesses of Moliagul.
Mr Bowman said drought conditions in Victoria had meant that buyers were more selective this year about the number of rams they planned to buy and would be guided by the animal’s data.