SHELLAL
*109 of 122 Poll Dorset rams sold to $2000 (five times), av $987
*5 of 14 Southie rams sold to $900, av $740
BUYERS flocked to Shellal Poll Dorset stud’s 38th annual on-property ram sale at Hawkesdale last week.
The stud offered 122 Poll Dorset rams, and sold 109, to achieve an average price of $987.
There were eight Poll Dorset stud rams offered to kick off the sale, which saw five hit the top price of $2000.
Two of those rams, Lots 2 and 6, were purchased by Johno Turnbull, Ardazal Poll Dorset stud, Wycheproof.
Mr Turnbull is a return buyer of many years, and said he appreciates the “overall outlook” of the stud’s Poll Dorset rams.
“They’ve just got the complete look, they’ve got everything you would want in a good ram,” Mr Turnbull said.
He said they would be joined to 200 stud ewes to breed rams for his clients.
“Our clients are breeding fat lambs and suckers, so we want these good genetic traits to carry through the line,” he said.
Another return client bought two of the other top-priced rams, Neil Robertson, ‘Gledfield’, Rossbridge.
Mr Robertson has been buying from the stud for 10 years.
“We get a lot of success out of their rams, we’ve topped and second-topped the Ballarat market with our suckers in past years,” Mr Robertson said.
He said there was a lot to like about the rams he selected at the sale, Lots 4 and 8.
“I just liked their length, their plain face, and their square hind quarter,” he said.
“I base my judgement on visual assessments, and look at figures after.”
He said the rams would be joined in December to first-cross ewes.
Landmark Warrnambool and Timboon livestock and marketing agent Nick Maddison bought over 40 rams for a collection of seven buyers in the Timboon area.
Mr Maddison said all of the buyers were long-time clients.
“They’ve all been buying from the stud for a number of years; if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it,” Mr Maddison said.
“They’re bred in the area, so we know they’ll survive in their area.”
He said the rams appealed to buyers based on visual assessment.
“Most of them like rams with a bit of cover, fat and shape, and these rams definitely do the trick,” he said.
“They’re all running fat lamb operations.”
Shellal stud co-principal Tania King said the Poll Dorset rams sold very well.
“We are very pleased with the result, given we are one of the first sales in the region, it’s good to get off to a good start,” Ms King said.
“All of the stud rams were shown at Sheepvention, and were a part of the team that won most successful exhibitor, and most successful exhibitor in the Hamilton/Naracoorte region.”
She said buyers were able to see the ram’s value for money.
“Buyers came because they knew they could get correct rams for reasonable prices,” she said.
The stud also offered 14 Shellal Southies, and sold five, to a top of $900, av $740.
Ms King said this was a good result given it was only the second year the breed had been offered.
“We weren’t sure how they’d go, but we’re very pleased,” she said.
The sale was conducted by Landmark.