BUYERS chasing length and muscle in their terminal sires pushed prices to $7000 at the Armdale-Armdale Park Poll Dorset sale last week.
Held on farm at Marrar, in southern NSW, the sale attracted strong bidding from 59 registered buyers.
A total of 198 stud and flock rams were offered and sold for an average of $1072.
The average was slightly down on last year's $1132 average for 193 rams.
Rams sold to Canowindra, Coleambally, Junee, Young, Goulburn, Crookwell, Cooma, Yass and Cootamundra.
Repeat clients, Rob, Maureen and Charlie Lawrence, of Canowindra, paid the top price of $7000 for an April 2008-drop stud ram.
The 145kg ram will be used in the family's 220-ewe Gooningal Poll Dorset stud.
Rob, who also paid $3250 for another lot, said the top-priced ram displayed high growth, eye muscle area and length.
Each year, he turns off 1400 export weight lambs through the Cowra market: "We are having an ordinary season and are close to putting stock on crops."
Vendor Garry Armstrong said the confidence in the lamb market had helped the sale.
He gained clients from Goulburn, Yass and Crookwell, many moving away from wool.
"The confidence in the lamb market has helped - most buyers here are professional lamb breeders," Mr Armstrong said.
"There is also definitely a swing to terminal sires away from Merinos."
