Top-price ram from Hillcreston Park Merinos destined for Victoria

The Land,  29/10/2024

The top-price ram with Megan Picker, Hillcreston Parl Merino stud, Bigga, Rick Power, Nutrien stud stock, Yvonne and Roger Connley, Omeo and Hillcreston Park stud manager Frank Wicks. Photo supplied.

Repeat buyers showed their support for Danny and Megan Picker's Hillcreston Park Merino ram sale, near Bigga, on Monday, with the top ram destined for Victoria.

The top-price ram Hillcreston Park 23-25 was purchased by Roger and Yvonne Connley, Omeo, Victoria for $3200.

The 12-month-old ram was a replacement from the keeper pen who was sired by Hillcreston Commander and recorded a fibre diameter of 14.6 micron, with a comfort factor of 100 per cent.

He also recorded a standard deviation of 2.1 micron, with a coefficient variation of 14.5 micron and a curvature of 97.

The Victorian couple have been long time supporters of the stud and said it is getting hard to find quality super fine wool rams of the standard of the Picker family's.

"We've been going to Picker's for about 35 years now." Mr Connley said.

"We retain our ewes and keep the wethers as wool growers and turn them off at five year old, the same as our ewes.

 "We get a bit picky on what we choose, so if they don't come up to our standards, we don't bid on them." The duo also purchased an additional four rams for an average of $1900.

The second top-price ram Hillcreston Park 22-67 followed closely behind, being purchased by Niel and Diedra Roche, Dalton, near Yass, for $3100.

The ram measured a fibre diameter of 14.9 micron and was sired by the studs Silky sire group.

He displayed a standard deviation of 2.2 micron, with a coefficient variation of 14.6 micron.

The volume buyers were Neil and Vicky Carey, Wee Jasper, who purchased nine rams to a top of $1250 to average $1194.

Hillcreston Park stud principal, Danny Picker said the sale results were as he expected.

"As the years have gone by over the last 15 years super fine breeders are demonising out of business because of the lack of wool prices," he said.

Overall the stud sold 31 of 52 rams to a top of $3200 to average $1482.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Goulburn with Rick Power, Nutrien stud stock as auctioneer.