Keri-Keri Australian Milking Merino

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2009 Sheep Articles

December 2009
Classing

Just before Christmas we classed the ewes to determine 2010's joining groups.

Spring 2009
Each year a family of Tawny Frogmouths raise their new young here at home. Just delightful.

October 2009
Shearing

In October 2009 all sheep on Keri-Keri were shorn.
Photos below.

"Ginger" Lowry.

Smiley Glen Jamieson.

Henry "Rocket" Williams

Shane Eade getting in out of the sun - it was warm enough for October.

Faces only mothers could love!!!
Ricky Wilson and Des Green.

September 7th 2009
Annual Keri-Keri Ram Sale
A total of 66 rams were offered for sale.
All 66 rams were cleared at an average of $755.30.
The top priced ram sold for $1,750.00 to Operina Pty Ltd.
This ram's wool figures were:
Micron: 16.64; SD: 3.12; CV%: 18.8 & CF%: 100

Andrew Dowling(left) - Keri-Keri
&
Tim Mulholland - Operina.

Whilst this ram is staying in the local district, again the rams went to a range of different locations throughout Australia - NSW, Victoria, Sth Australia and Queensland.

The breakdown of the sale is as follows:
25 Keri-Keri 2008 drop rams sold for an average price of $750.00, to a high of $1,250.00 (twice).
29 Keri-Keri 2007 drop rams sold for an average price of $762.07, to a high of $1,750.00.
Making the total for Keri-Keri rams sold - 54 @ an average price of $756.48.
12 Australian Meat Merino (AMM) 2007 drop rams sold for an average price of $750.00, to a high of $900.00 (three times).

Thanks again go to our great selling Agents of Joe O'Reilly and his team from B.R.&C. and to all others who helped, and were involved with the sale.
Also, our appreciation to those who supported and continue to support our sales - the last two years have been tough going. All rams are guaranteed and we welcome feedback on how they perform.
Good luck to all for the remainder of the season - while it started out with light at the end of the tunnel - no doubt a good soaking combined with high livestock & grain prices would be much welcomed by all.

The shed ready for sale day and lunch.

All lined up - some inside the marquee & some out.

One ram that had become a bit of a pet.

But one last scratch & time to say goodbye.
This ram went to Koyuga,Vic to live.

Hungry....???!!!!

Andrew Dowling, Andrew Williamson & John Glenn.

Ron Hoare - "Tin Tin"

Dr. Jim Watts opened the sale this year.

The BR&C Team - Michelle Boyle, Nelly Pearson & Damian Saville.

Russell Martin - "Melool".

Sally Watts watches on while Jim consults his notes.

Jackie Eade, Moulamein, enjoying her RDO.

Peter Dowling - deep in concentration following the Helmsman Auction system.

A young face amongst the crowd.

Andrew & Tim.

Unfortunately due to a restricted number of rams available, this year,our on-property
sale was only by personal invitation to existing clients.

Part of the sale team

To download the Keri-Keri 2009 Ram Sale Catalogue click on the link below:
Ram Sale Catalogue '09 (PDF)

To download the Keri-Keri 2008 Ram Sale Catalogue click on the link below:
Ram Sale Catalogue '08 (PDF)

If you have any problems downloading catalogues please let us know & we can email, fax or post you copies.
To discuss purchasing rams you will need to contact Andrew Dowling on (03) 5034 0591.

14th August 2009 - Sale Rams in the paddock
These photos were taken in the front paddock on the date mentioned above.

August 2009
Feed starting to return

Turning in off the road at front gate.

30th July 2009 - Side Sampling of Sale Rams
Once the sale rams have been finalised the catalogue with their wool test results will be loaded on this website.

Side samples taken & sent to Riverina Fleece Testing Services for analysis.

16th July 2009 - Classing of Sale Rams
On Thursday 16th July the final classing of the sale rams commenced.

July 2009
Lambmarking

July 2009
Still dry in areas

Even though we had a much better season in 2009, the ongoing effects of drought can be seen by the state of this
centrally located paddock on "Keri-Keri".
These photos were taken in July 2009 after 3 months of reasonable rainfall

30th March 2009 - Shearing
All rams, including the rams for this year's sale, were shorn.

For a full sale summary & photographs of the 2008 Ram Sale - go to the 2008 Archives Section,
also go to the 2008 Archives Section to see the progress of the rams over that year.

Main Keri-Keri Shearing
April 2009
In April our main shearing of all sheep on the property took place.

Photos below.

RAIN, glorious rain
April 2009
Finally in April of 2009 we had decent rains. So much so that after the dry of the year before water was running everywhere as there wasn't any ground cover to soak it up.

On ANZAC Day Keri-Keri received 37.5mm of rain in one day. With a good preparation rain the day before of 12mm.

Since then there were good rains up until the end of June. All graziers and farmers are now hoping for a wet and bountiful spring.

It really was wet!!!

The big dry continued
January 2009
For the 2008 calendar year Keri-Keri had the driest winter on record. Rain fell in January to March and November to December but what fell over Autumn, Winter & Spring were in such small mm's amounts that it resulted in a terribly drought ridden year.

It meant for a very harsh, long & cold winter and as mentioned above the driest one here on record - as the photos below show. Welcome, but probably too late, rain fell in November which sparked the bush into growth and the sheep has some reprieve from continual search for food.

Zero rainfall in January and February combined with extreme heat were probably the last thing we and the sheep needed.

All too familiar sights in drought.

Hay being delivered May '08.

Paddocks in July 2008.
The first two photos above are taken on a frosty morning at sunrise. Without any feed growing it simply was ice on dirt!!!!

Dust Storm April 2008.
The first photo was the veiw out of the front windscreen of a vehicle.

Paddocks in March 2008.