NEWclients fromIvanhoe, NSW, were the volume buyers
at the Hall family’s Ulooloo Dohne sale at Hallett. Father and son Edward and Shane Rees, Retreat SAMM stud, travelled across the border as they are trialling Dohnes in their SAMM flock.
They bought 16 rams to $1700, averaging $868. Edward said he was looking for quality sires with good eye muscle, thickness and frame and had been recommended Ulooloo rams by Rodwells wool specialist Chris Vordermaier.
There were two top price rams at $1900. One went to father and son Glan and James Moore, Jamestown, who have been buying from Ulooloo for the past three years.
James said he was happy with the sires. “They’re good all-rounders, they’re well-presented rams with beautiful wool,” he said.
“Another bonus is that the lambs have good early growth rates.” The 80-kilogram ram measured 135.9 on the Dohne index and had 30-millimetre eye muscle depth.
Its 18.6-micron fleece measured 17 coefficient of variation with 99.8 per cent comfort factor. TheMoores bought another ram at $1800. The other $1900 top price ram went to Glenn Hayes, Carinya Park, Kybunga. The ram measured 155.4 on the Dohne index, had 28EMD, and its fleece was 17.7M with 17.5CV and 100CF.
Mr Hayes also bought a further two rams to $1700, averaging $1466 overall. Black Springs buyers included Nicholls Family Trust, with two rams to $1200, averaging $800, and Golden Slopes with two at $1500.
Overall, the sale’s average was slightly up on last year at $880 and clearance was improved at 83pc.
Ulooloo co-principal Rob Hall was happy to have some new faces at the sale. “The rams are selling into plenty of different areas, and return buyers say they are very happy with what they are able to pick up at the sale,” he said. The stud had success at this year’s Australian Sheep & Wool Show at Bendigo, Vic, winning reserve junior champion.
“We had a bit of interest out of that, and that gives us confidence that our breeding is right up there with the best of them,” Mr Hall said.
“We’re focusing on early growth rates, with the target of producing 20kg dressedweight lambs at four to five months old.
“Another focus is on keeping a good Merino quality fleece, cutting plenty of wool.”
– PAULA THOMPSON
