DD Dohnes
62 of 66 rams sold to $8000, av $1538
BUYERS from throughout Australia came to snap up 62 of the 66 rams on sale at DD Dohnes, Moama, NSW, last Thursday.
Average price was $1538, up $128 from last year’s average of $1410.
After a bidding war between two buyers, the top-priced ram, Lot-23, was sold at $8000, up $5000 from last year’s top price.
The successful bidder was Alex Leach, Glenlea Dohne Stud, Katanning, WA.
Mr Leach, who had purchased from DD Dohnes before, said the ram was well balanced, and had fantastic figures.
“It’s got the sort of topline that I’m looking for, and is the right balance of meat and wool,” Mr Leach said.
The June 2015-drop, July shorn ram had a Dohne Index Value of 144.1, a post-weaning weight ASBV of 5.3kg, post-weaning eye muscle depth of 0.7mm, and a yearling clean fleece weight of 11.5pc.
Mr Leach said he would join the ram to his flock of about 500 stud ewes.
“He’ll go into the stud and join our breeding program, we’re hoping that he’ll complement what we’re already doing.”
Tom Holt and Toby Ellis, Coonong, Urana, NSW, purchased three rams at the sale, spending a total of $6250, av $2083.
Regular buyers of about six years, Mr Ellis said the DD Dohnes are great dual purpose rams.
“They’re strong in the wool, and really hold their micron,” Mr Ellis said.
“They’re able to maintain their body weight, and have good frames.”
He said they’d be joining the rams to their 8000 breeding ewes, in the hopes to “bring in more of the DD Dohnes genetics”.
Bruce Barnes-Webb, DD Dohnes, was incredibly pleased with the result of the sale.
“It was a good, strong sale, with a lot of repeat buyers, which is great,” Mr Barnes-Webb said.
“There were about five new buyers too, which is another positive sign.”
Mr Barnes-Webb said his rams are easy care and functional.
“They’re raised in paddocks, and not pampered at all,” he said.
“They’re not fed a lot, so they’re quite easy to look after, and are more ready to work.”
Anthony Pogue, Elders Echuca, said he was very happy with the result, particularly given the weather conditions.
“There are a lot of farmers struggling with their own weather issues, so it’s great that they could all make it,” Mr Pogue said.