CASHMORE OAKLEA
- Total clearance of 103 elite performance maternal rams sold to $6750, av $2346
- 268 of 310 performance maternal rams sold to $2750, av $1026
- 3 of 22 Coopworth rams sold to $700, av $633
- 21 of 29 Cashmore Nudie rams sold to $3900, av $1167
Despite some buyers being circumspect given the increasingly tough season in many parts of south-east Australia, Cashmore Oaklea’s self-replacing maternals ram sale at Hamilton went well according to the vendors.
Don Pegler, Oaklea, Mt Gambier, South Australia, was very pleased with the last Friday’s result and said the top end sold exceptionally well.
There was a total clearance of the 103 elite performance maternal rams that averaged $2346 and topped at $6750, which was the sole purchase of the Sellers family, Bendoc Park, Bendoc.
Eddie Sellers said the sale-topping ram struck the right balance of good figures and good shape. He first bought from Cashmore Park’s John Keiller, Cashmore, last year and for the past five or six years had used these leading maternal composite genetics by buying animals people had bred on.
He said maternal composites had high fertility and hanging from first-cross ewes let the high-country farming operation sell surplus ewe lambs, as well as good prime lambs.
Mr Sellers maintains a separate Merino enterprise and stud and commercial cattle.
The sale-topping elite performance maternal ram from the Oaklea flock, tag 140248, was in percentile Band 1 with a Maternal $ index of 139.3. Its Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) for number of lambs weaned (NLW) at 16 per cent, yearling NLW 23pc and post-weaning faecal worm egg count (PFEC) of -62 were all in the top 5pc for maternal rams.
In fact, all of the performance maternal rams offered were in the top 5pc of the Maternal $ index.
The July drop ram was sired by 122413, and incorporated 51pc Coopworth, 31pc White Suffolk and 18pc Poll Dorset.
It was also the first time Malpas River Partnership, Walcha, south-eastern edge of the NSW’s Tableland, had purchased at the Cashmore Oaklea sale, and they secured the most rams, taking home 44, av $1149.
Lesley and Richard Gibson, Glenthompson, attended the sale on behalf of daughter Anna and husband Rob Mulligan.
Mr Gibson said they had gone through the catalogue and shortlisted high indexing rams, paying particular attention to NLW and weaning weight ASBVs. They bought nine from the elite draft and 35 from the performance draft.
Mr Gibson said cattle had been run on the Malpas River farm, but due to the drought, they decided to sell the cattle 18 month ago and travelled west to buy Merinos to run first crosses, but changing tact to composites was because they believe they will thrive in the cold country and be more profitable.
Other volume buyers who secured 10 or more rams included: Wexford Pastoral Company, buying through Landmark Hamilton, with 24 rams av $1306; Monavale Estate, through Elders Launceston, Tasmania, 22 av $700; Buangor Park, Landmark Ballarat, 17 av $918; Argyle Transports, Ray White Mt Gambier, 14 av $1157; D&K Kuch, FOB Livestock Sale, 12 av $925; Gardner Bros, 12 av $833; and Mayhem Pastoral Company, buying through Elders Kingscote on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, with 10 av $1120.
Vendor Mr Keiller said buyers shored up their risk position because the key point with maternal composites was that they lambed easily and had higher growth, which gave them the ability to turn off their first draft of lambs at a good weight earlier, which decreased a producer’s risk, particularly in variable seasons.
Eight years into the development of the Cashmore Nudie line – self-replacing, easy-care sheep with wool shedding ability, high parasite resistance and tough feet – the draft sold to a higher top and av price. The $3900 category-topper was purchased by Luke Cater, Cobar, NSW, via phone bid.
Fiona and Russell Mitchell, Glenthompson, also bought two Nudie rams to try them out, after being very impressed with the Cashmore Oaklea maternal composites they have used for seven years.
“We used to concentrate on running Merinos but now we find prime lambs and more reliable and profitable and the maternal composites have performance really well,” Mrs Mitchell said.
“I like the idea that the Nudies have no crutching, no flies and will reduce the stress of shearing.”
They bought five maternals and two Nudies, av $1893.
Demand was more subdued for the Coopworth draft, in which three of 22 Coopworth rams sold to $700, av $633.
