BUOYANT wool, wether lamb and surplus Merino sheep prices have failed to dent the demand for meat rams this spring.

Despite a noticeable shift back to Merino rams, with plain bodied polled rams high on the shopping list, meat sheep are still hot ticket items.

Howlong Poll Dorset and White Suffolk breeder Graham Wilson said prime lambs were still profitable for farmers in the cropping zones.

Mr Wilson said many producers believed wool production was not the total answer.

He said producers liked the fact the White Suffolk-Merino cross had clean points and presented well in the yards.

"I thought White Suffolks might have been in trouble with the higher wool prices,'' he said.

"But it's been all positive so far - we'll just have to see what happens.''

Mr Wilson said orders for ram lambs started filling last December, with five and a half-month-olds walking out the door.

"We sold 240 ram lambs, followed by another 160 last week and that leaves only 40-50 left, and it is only early October,'' he said.

"Every year is different, I'm taking nothing for granted."

Lamb prices are still very good with $180 at Shepparton on Friday, and people are still not sure wool is the total answer.

"They are having a bet each way.''

Holbrook Poll Dorset stud breeder Rob Martin cleared 119 rams at auction this year, with his average lifting $100 on last year.

Mr Martin said ram buyers were chasing terminal sires with early maturity, fat cover and doing ability for the sucker market.

Simon Male, Henty Poll Dorset breeder, lifted his sale average from $680 in 2010 to $1236 this year to clear 153 rams.

Mr Male said flock rams topped at $1800 eight times and volume buyers picked up truck loads varying from eight to 24 rams.

But, Wagga Wagga White Suffolk and Poll Dorset breeder Keith Edyvean said many producers in his area had switched to Merinos.

"A lot of Merino people are gong back to Merino rams and there is a lull in the White Suffolk market,'' Mr Edyvean said.

"In saying that, we did sell quite a draft in the lower grades that weren't in the auction system.

''Tarcutta Merino breeder Bruce Angel confirmed the trend, saying producers were bringing young Merino ewes back into their flocks.

"Merino sheep are doing well in wool, sheep and wether lambs,'' Mr Angel said.

"We have seen over the last four to five years a run down in sheep numbers through joining extra ewes to terminal rams.

"Now mutton prices are good for surplus cast-for-age ewes and young sheep, and wether lambs and wool are selling well.

"It all adds up to confidence in the industry.''