Womboota Border Leicesters have sold to a higher average than last year, despite the continuing dry conditions in the surrounding area of Womboota, southern NSW.
One of the principals Malcolm Starritt was pleased to see new faces, as well as return clients, among the buying gallery.
One new client, brothers Laurie and Ray Boyd, Mologa, purchased the top-priced ram for $1800.
It was the sole purchase for the brothers who breed their own Border Leicester rams to put over Merino ewes, which they then join to produce fat lambs. They buy a ram every about two years to introduce new genetics, and were impressed by the previous ram they bought at the now dispersed Kelso Park (established by the Starritts’ ancestors) ram they had previously purchased.
The Boyd brothers join 1200 ewes to Merinos, 1100 to Border Leicesters and run about 2000 crossbred ewes. Laurie Boyd said they first picked the ram on sight, and were particularly impressed with the 090359 Caddell son. The young SuperBorder sire (SB number 17141) had a Border Dollar Index of 116.2, putting it the top 10 per cent of the breed. The ram’s Australian Sheep Breeding Value (ASBV) for maternal weaning weight (MWWT) was 1.2.
Mr Starritt said it was also terrific to see a few stud buyers, after an absence of a few years, in addition to the flock buyers.
Competition from both groups saw 52 mostly August/September 2014 drop rams of the 71 offered make an average of $992, which was $24 higher than last year’s result.
“It’s a very positive time to be in farming, and the signs from the north for the sale of first cross lambs look remarkably good,” Mr Starritt said.
“It’s a pleasing sale result, although some of regular buyers have decreased ewe numbers because of the spring cutting out, so if the season was stronger, the sale would have followed because lamb prices are strong and there is a shortage of ewes.”
He said the family farming operation had received 160 millimetres of rain this growing season compared to their average 200mm.
Volume buyers included Ian Sandiland, who purchased 11 lots paying to $800, av $791.
Peter Roe and partner Jocelyn Harriage, Mifortuna, Deniliquin, NSW, purchased 10 rams to $1050, av $785.
It is the fourth year the couple has used Womboota Border Leicesters, and Mr Roe said he was very impressed by their performance – for example their draft of 10 month-old first cross weaner ewe lambs by Womboota Superborders topped the Deniliquin January special sale, making $226 for the tops and $180 for the seconds.
Mr Roe said he bid for rams that were twins, were categorised as SuperBorders (that is those ranked by LambPlan as having superior genes for lamb production) and had his desired phenotype, including with rounded front shoulders.
Other volume buyers included account Everdry, Moama, NSW, that bought five and paid to $1500; KS&P Durrant, Oola Park, Moama, who got five and paid to $1700; account Major Ridge, Mulwala, NSW, that bought four to $1600; and Thule Pastoral, Barham, NSW, that bought four to $1100.
Laura Griffin
Journalist for Stock and Land.
Journalist for Stock and Land.
