Kohat sets stud record of $4600

An Ongerup-bred Poll Merino ram found competitive bidding between local and Victorian interests, pushing the price to a stud record top-price of $4600.

The interstate rivalry took place at the Hyde family’s annual Kohat White Suffolk and Poll Merino ram sale held last Tuesday, at Ongerup.

Holding strong on the bidding battle, Ongerup woolgrowers Kingsley Vaux, and his son Beau, were successful in securing their first pick, Kohat 191030, a 16.6 micron ram.

“It was our first ram from the stud,” Mr Vaux said.

“We selected for balanced figures.”

Mr Vaux said the ram would be mated into a nucleus of 150 ewes to produce flock rams for the farm’s 2500 commercial Yarrum Valley-blood ewes.

“As a young ram, it showed good depth of body,” he said.

The paddock run ram was a twin and recorded Australian Sheep Breeding Values of 4.23 WWT, 6.44 YWT, 1.86 YEMD, .84 YFAT, and was in the top 10 per cent for a 29.45 YCFW and 212.88 DP+.

The underbidder on the sale topper, via phone hook-up with Nutrien agent Tom Bowen, was Michael Todd, of North Hamilton, Victoria, who bought his first Kohat rams privately last year.

Through Mr Bowen, the Victorian secured four Poll Merinos to a top of $3000 and average price of $2200.

Mr Todd told Countryman that he had visited WA three years ago in which he acquired an interest in Merinotech bloodlines with the purchase of 1500 ewe maidens in 2017.

Since that time, Kohat stud co-principal Rivers Hyde acquired a Merinotech daughter stud in which Mr Todd had followed with interest.

“Merinotech selections have a broad range of breeding traits,” Mr Todd said.

“The wool quality is exceptional.”

First-time buyer of Kohat Poll Merinos was Sam Lehmann, of Cranbrook, who secured a total of seven rams to a top of $2700 and average price of $1515.

“I selected for growth rates and good stylish wool,” he said.

“It was my first year of selecting rams that are backed by ASBV figures.”

Mr Lehmann runs a commercial flock of 4500 Mianelup blood ewes.

The sale attracted other first time buyers who were interested in backing up their visual assessment with ASBVs.

Mr Hyde said many people were interested in good greasy fleece weight and weaning weight figures, plus eye muscle depth and fat score traits.

“These producers have worked off their own flock profile test,” he said.

“Their fleece weights are good, but some lack growth, muscle and fat.”

Mr Bowen said given the current lower wool market prices, the Poll Merinos sold particularly well.

“It was good to see confidence in buyers’ Merino selections,” he said.

The Kohat White Suffolk catalogue offered 70 rams with 69 sold to a top-price of $3100 and average price of $1082.

Backing up his first Kohat ram from last year, Esperance producer Wes Graham secured the sale topper, Kohat 190023, via phone bid through Mr Bowen.

The ram was a first drop son of Aylesbury Farm stud sire 155433 and has Lambplan figures of 0.37 BWT, 11.24 WWT, 17.56 PWWT, 2.56 PEMD, and a 146.40 TCP.

Mr Bowen said Mr Graham liked the figures on the ram and was pleased with the performance of last year’s ram.

Caralinga Farms, at Borden, secured a total of six rams for an average price of $1567, including an Aylesbury son for $1800.

Volume buyer was NH Wittwer & Co, of Cuballing, securing a total of 11 rams to a top of $1400 and average price of $1187.

Nutrien stud stock agent Roy Addis said the line-up of White Suffolk rams represented good Lambplan figures and buyers selected on PWWT.

“They were looking for growth in their production,” he said.