DERGHOLM'S Murray Davis wasn't going to be beaten to the best rams at The Mountain Dam Merino stud ram sale at Telangatuk East.
For the second consecutive year Mr Davis paid the top price at the sale; this year spending $3700 on Lot 10, a 16.1 micron twin ram described as one of the best in his drop by stud co-principal Tom Silcock.
Mr Davis and his family have been buying rams for 14 years from the Silcocks and this year they bought nine from the catalogue, including Lot 6 for $3100, and another four back-up rams at a later mini-auction.
The keen wool producer said Lot 10 was a good upstanding ram that was ranked highly by Mr Silcock for wool quality, conformation, hooves and overall evenness of traits.
Last year the Davis family paid to $2800 for 14 rams.
Selling agents Elders sold 62 of the 72 rams offered in the Helmsman auction for an average of $1360 to buyers from South Australia and throughout Victoria.
In 2011 they cleared all 72 rams for an average of $1265 for stud principals Tom, Alison, John and Merty Silcock.
