HIGH indexing rams with early growth was high on the agenda of the 33 registered buyers at Waratah White Suffolk, Branxholme first on property sale that maxed at $2600.
Topping what has been an outstanding year for stud principals Steve and Debbie Milne was their inaugural on-property sale which saw firm interest from new and return western district buyers and resulted in a $928 per head ram average.
Earlier this month, a Waratah stud-bred ram, Waratah 130645, a June 2013-drop sire, topped the 2014 Elite Stud Sheep Sale, at the Royal Adelaide Show, selling at $14,000.
The stud’s run of popularity continued this week with 75 of 76 rams offered at their Branxholme property sale sold to $2600, and av $928, while 16 of 21 stud ewes sold to $450, av $340.
The top price was paid twice, once by Nathan Down, Newlyn Pastoral, Codrington, who chased the June ’13 drop son of Waratah 120301 for his balance, length and structural correctness.
The ram recorded and birth weight of 0.37kilograms, weaning weight 10.9kg, PFAT -0.6 and measured 114 on Lamb2020. The Milne’s retained a 50pc semen share of this ram.
By the same sire, the equal top priced was paid by the Richards family, Tongara Stud, Coonalpyn, South Australia.
The ram recorded a BWT 0.37kg, WWT 9.0kg, PFAT 0.0 and Lamb2020 115.
Clients who were chasing high indexing rams had plenty to choose from with 45per cent of the catalogued rams offered ranking in the top 10pc of the breed for growth in LambPlan and 75pc of the rams sold in the top 10pc for Lamb2020.
“The sale reflected what is happening in the industry with people chasing high growth and early maturing lambs,” LMB Linke auctioneer Bernie Grant said.
*Full report in next week's Stock & Land
Annabelle Beale
National Sheep & Wool Writer for Fairfax Agricultural Media
National Sheep & Wool Writer for Fairfax Agricultural Media
