‘Prize’ ram sets record

The record-breaking top-priced ram was bought by Matthew and Tanya Tonissen of Chrome sheep stud, Hamilton, after an AuctionsPlus bidder disputed the final call of $2600 before battling-it-out to the sale and industry record of $10,200.

The ram was in the top one per cent Maternal $Index at 138.9, with high LambPlan breeding values for numbers of lambs weaned (20 per cent), post weaning weight (11.9 kilograms), yearling body weight (13.5), yearling number of lambs weaned (19pc) and post weaning fat depth (PFAT -1.0).

Mr Tonissen said he chased the superior ram hard because "there is no prize for second place".

"When we started breeding sheep we set about breeding a sheep that was special to Chrome, that we thought suited western Victoria and that was a sheep with moderate frame score that was thick and deep bodied who was a good doer," he said.

"As far as we are concerned if anything lacks in our sheep, it is that we need to lift our performance data and Cashmore Oaklea certainly has that and this ram is undoubtedly the best ram that I have seen these guys present - given the price, somebody else thought so too.

"We think this ram can really complement our job we are doing at Chrome and that is why we didn't let him go."

Oaklea principal Don Pegler, Mount Gambier, South Australia, agreed, saying he was a "magnificent looking ram".

"He is well-proportioned, very correct with a good balance of figures and high fertility - he is also a good sire that has performed well with ewe lambing," he said.

"The other big issue was there were two people that particularly liked him."

The AuctionsPlus sale hiccup was overshadowed by a strong response to the online selling system, where it received 399 hits from 83 different viewers and had 13 registered buyers.

Joint selling agents Elders and Landmark sold 104 Cashmore Oaklea elite performance maternal rams in the top 1pc of the LambPlan Maternal $Index av $2182; and 285 of 302 performance maternal rams av $1278.

In total 433 of 452 rams sold, including 19 Coopworths to $1500, av $1500, and 25 of 27 Nudie rams offered sold to $2500, av $1084.

The strong sale was upbeat throughout, with Hassad Australia continuing its strong presence at western Victoria composite ram auctions, purchasing 40 rams to $2300, av $1618, for their Barton Station operation at Moyston.

Another buying force was First Australian Farmland, Holbrook, NSW, which purchased 25 lots to $2100, av $1476.

A large portion of the offering crossed borders to NSW and Tasmania, while 150 went to southern South Australia.

Tom Ellis of Coola Station, Mount Gambier, was one of the active bidders, purchasing 15 rams to $2600, av $2173.

His highest-priced performance maternal at $2600 was Lot 234 - a ram who was in the top 2pc for the Maternal $Index at 135.8 and recorded leading LambPlan figures for milk (2.0), PWWT (12.3) and YWT (13.4).

Prices for the Coopworth pens peaked at $1500, which was paid by LJ&LJ Milgate for a ram in the top 3pc for the breed and was 134.2 on the Maternal $Index with NLW at 15pc.

While the Nudie offering was small, quality was certainly evident.

The highest-priced ram in this section topped at $2500 for Lot 438, who faired in the top 10pc for the breed, SRC Index 126.7 and recorded NLW 7pc.

Mr Pegler said the studs had attracted loyal return buyers due to their performance reputation that included 270 of the top 300 maternal rams on LambPlan within Australia.

He attributed the sale results to a "wave" of interest from producers transitioning to composites.

"We are the largest stud of this type in Australia and by far one with the highest performance so there were quite a few people that were repeat buyers, also neighbours of repeat buyers who have seen how well their sheep are doing," he said.

"Another attraction to the sale was the sheep being bred under commercial conditions who produce quality lambs with high growth rates and good skins."

Cashmore Park principal John Keiller attributed the spectacular sale result to the spotlight shining on successful self-replacing operations.

"We've seen production systems move in the last 20 years from first-cross to self-replacing flocks because that is where the money is," Mr Keiller said.

"These are the leading self-replacing sheep in the country and on the market, hence the seed stock and commercial interest's attraction to increase their performance.

"The ram prices reflect that buyers are making money out of the performance maternal sheep."