ELDERS Victoria/Riverina stud stock manager Ross Milne is upbeat about the 2025 ram selling market after Mallee studs outperformed during the 2024 spring ram sale season.
He said the industry “has been in its ram selling season since late August.”
“The sales have performed well considering we have been faced with a few headwinds,” Mr Milne said.
“This has particularly been the case in the Merino industry, with a tough wool market.
“Seasonally, in some areas, challenges have been felt by breeders who buy rams every year, with the reduction of ewes and ongoing feeding costs.
“In saying that, Merino sales have achieved good averages, not dissimilar to last year, probably back by 15 per cent on last year as a whole.”
One of the stars of the Mallee season was Ouyen’s Tamaleuca Poll Merinos, which Mr Milne said had defied tough industry conditions to record a total clearance at its annual on-property ram sale.
With 60 rams offered and sold to a high of $3400 and average of $1599, Tamaleuca’s Danni Wilson said they “were really thrilled with the outcome.”
He explained pushing rams out into the Mallee and pastoral areas had been particularly challenging, especially when offset by the fall in the wool market.
The Tamaleuca sale high ram went to the Hosking family at Quambatook, but it was new buyers who arrived at the 2024 sale with serious impact.
“We had a display at the Mallee Machinery Field Days this year, which went well, and then decided we would duck up to the Wentworth Show as well,” Ms Tamaleuca said.
One new buyer who saw their sheep there – Ian Arney from Millewa near Mildura – made the trip south for the sale to buy 11 rams for an average $1150.
Gus Whyte, a second buyer who also visited Tamaleuca at Wentworth, and just like the Arneys, he headed south with his chequebook and took three rams home as well.
Mr Milne said across the board Elders chalked up some positive clearances, with the majority of sales achieving an 80 to 85 per cent clearance rate – but few matched Tamaleuca.
“Considering the climate and challenges put in front of our Merino ram sale clients, sales have performed well,” he said.
“The terminal sales have also performed well, and likely achieved better clearances rates across Victoria and Riverina with their averages similar to last year or at a slight increase from last year which has been very positive.
“Going into the 2025 season, I think we can expect sales next spring to continue performing well, particularly if the lamb market stays where it is, or improves.
“There are a few factors that will influence the season, including market trends.
“We hope to see an increase in the wool market which will hopefully also continue to motivate our wool producers to continue to invest in their Merino genetics.”
Tamaleuca capped off its strong 2024 by storming the Royal Adelaide Show ring and came home with reserve grand champion Poll Merino ram.
The 16.1 micron, large-framed, heavy cutting two-year-old ram started out winning his class before going on to be sashed champion fine wool August shorn ram.
The ram was then named reserve grand champion behind the Collinsville super ram, which just the week before had been named Australian ram of the year at the annual Dubbo national ram show and sale.
