A top price of $2000 paid twice and a 100 per cent clearance characterised the third annual Bungulla Merino ram sale at Longreach on Monday.
With showers around there weren't as many on the ground at the Longreach showgrounds as in previous years but Nutrien Western principal Boyd Curran said those there found well-grown young rams to suit all requirements.
The sale realised an average of $1102 for the 102 rams on offer.
Bruce Alexander, based at Warringah, west of Blackall, has been buying Bungulla rams since the first Longreach sale in 2019 and paid the top price on Monday, saying they had been fitting well with their program.
"I thought the ram we paid $2000 for was a very upstanding, robust type," he said.
"He was close to 90kg in weight, which is not bad for a 12-month-old.
"He also had 50 to 60mm of wool after an April shearing so he's definitely a good wool grower, and was well covered."
The ram was from a double stud sire out of a maiden ewe, had a 19.6 micron fleece, and a comfort factor of 99.29pc.
The other ram sold for $2000, to an undisclosed buyer, was a poll with an 18.8 micron fleece and 99.76pc comfort factor.
The Alexander family has been on Egelabra bloodlines for around 20 years but Mr Alexander said he liked to support all studs that were having a go in western Queensland, taking home a total of seven rams.
Boyd Curran said the general sentiment among buyers was that the stud sited near Gunnedah, NSW was proving its genetics in the western Queensland environment with its commercial operation at Laidlaw, Longreach.
"They were the first people to hold a sale in Longreach for about 30 years and this is the third year now - they're showing the rams are perfect in this country," he said.
Western Queensland has hosted three other ram sales - Rissmerino, Mt Ascot/Jolly Jumbuck and Terrick - in the past month.
Stud principal Peter Capel said Monday's sale had been a good solid result for them.
"It's a work in progress getting people to know our rams but we had four new buyers this year as well as repeat clients," he said.
Rams were sold to breeders from as far afield as Wyandra, Hebel, Thallon, Aramac, Blackall and the local Longreach area.
Volume buyers included Wallen Pastoral, Cunnamulla, with 12 rams, Evesham Pastoral, Longreach, selecting 13 rams, and JE and LJ Nunn, Sunnyside, Stonehenge, buying eight rams.
- Agents: Nutrien Western, Elders, Schute Bell
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications.
