Willemenup rams to $4500

As demand increases for wool and sheep meat, the Garnett family had all the answers to both options at their annual ram sale last week at Gnowangerup.

From the pure white wool of the stud-quality Willemenup Poll Merino in pen one to the very last meaty Curlew Creek Poll Dorset ram in pen 360, the quality was consistent throughout.

Elders auctioneer Preston Clarke said the 180 Poll Merinos had scale and wool cut, while Landmark auctioneer Chris Elliot addee the 180 Poll Dorsets were an outstanding presentation.

“One of the best line-ups, excellent white wools,” Mr Clarke said.

“High-index rams were well sought after,” Mr Elliot said.

At the end of the day, stud co-principal Collyn Garnett and his team were satisfied with the sale result as strong buying support came from 60 registered bidders.

“We appreciate our long-time clients and the many new clients since we have introduced more depth using Hillcroft Poll Dorset genetics,” Mr Garnett said.

Willemenup Poll MerinosPure Poll Merinos with exceptional wool quality were the attraction to secure the $4500 top-priced ram, bought by repeat buyer Graham Stutley, of PE Stutley & Son, Katanning.

Mr Stutley said he would breed the 19.8-micron ram with a 99.8 comfort factor to his maiden ewes to increase wool quality throughout his family’s flock.

Elders auctioneer Preston Clarke assured interest on that ram, which he said carried one of the purest wools in the shed, before calling out the Stutleys as the successful bidders.

The Stutleys also secured another $3000 ram, which had a scanned eye muscle of 41mm and rib fat of 7mm.

Mr Clarke also named pen one, a 108kg, 20.2-micron ram, as a stud sire before knocking it down to Pallinup stud principal Lachlan Lewis of Gnowangerup.

Mr Lewis said the Willemenup Comodoro-sired ram would represent new genetics for his stud.

Account Capemont Farms, of Katanning, began its 17-ram buying order ($1929 average) with a $4100 ram that had all the right wool and scanned qualities to its credentials.

The Kowald family, of Capemont, secured their regular volume numbers, which all averaged out at 20.5 micron and a weight of 96kg.

Barry Kowald said his family’s 50:50 crop-sheep mixed farm ran 4000 Poll Merino ewes and cull ewes were crossed with a Prime SAMM ram.

“We are regular participants in the WAMMCO State Prime Lamb Carcase Competition and this year we placed third overall with our Prime SAMM-Willemenup blood ewe crossed lambs,” he said.

Also having success with Willemenup were repeat buyers Sandow and Sharon Jacobs of Corrigin.

The couple secured a $4000 ram and said they were quite pleased to average a marked lambing of 91 per cent on their 1700-ewe flock this season.

Mr Jacobs said the 22.5-micron Comodoro-sired ram was just right in the micron and body weight of 100kg to introduced to his nucleus flock.

“We been on Willemenup bloodlines for over 20 years,” he said.

The Letter family, of Tambellup, were also buying rams off the top line, securing rams for $4100 and $3400.

Other regular buyers included Allawah Grazing, of Tambellup, which secured five rams for an average price of $2320, and TA & AR Ross, of Jerramungup, which secured 10 rams for an average price of $2060.

Eticup Grazing, of Broomehill, bought 13 rams for an average price of $1662.

Curlew Creek Poll DorsetsReaching a top-price of $2500 and average price of $1035 for 163 rams sold, Poll Dorset values were consistent with last year when 200 rams sold for an average price of $1080.

The $2500 top-priced ram was secured by first-time buyers, account Creagh Brothers, of Badgingarra, through Landmark stud stock agent Roy Addis.

Mr Addis said the buyers were keen to use the ram, which had excellent Australian Sheep Breeding Values and goes back to a Glenroy sire, in their commercial operation.

The 115kg ram had the second-highest Lamb 2020 measurement in the catalogue of 116.47 and it had a Carcase + of 222.37.

Securing rams early was account Jeff Pyle & Co, of Albany, which bought pens one and two for $1800 and $1700 respectively and also paid $1800 for pen 12.

Repeat buyer Lavieville Grazing Co, of Tambellup, secured six rams for an average price of $1533.

Most active buyer was account AW Lyneham, of Katanning, securing 10 rams throughout the catalogue to a top price of $1800 and an average of $1330.