193/193 White Suffolk rams and ewes, Poll Dorset rams, EasyCare Composite rams
20 White Suffolk stud rams to $68,000, av $10,050
21 White Suffolk stud ewes to $1300, av $900
98 White Suffolk flock rams to $2000, av $1282
24 Poll Dorset rams to $2000, av $1320
21 EasyCare Composite rams to $1600, av $1273.
9 Suffolk rams to $3500, av $1305.
Spirited bidding has seen a Victorian White Suffolk stud ram sell for $68,000, smashing the previous Australian price record.
The Donnan Family, Anden White Suffolk Stud, Wilangie, easily beat the previous record, of $36,000, equalled at last year’s sale.
The ram sold as part of a total clearance of 193 stud and flock White Suffolk, Suffolk, Poll Dorset and EasyCare composite rams and ewes.
Stud principal Andrew Donnan said he thought the ram, Anden 150277, would break the record, but not by that much.
“The ram won at Hamilton Sheepvention, that’s the best White Suffolk show in Victoria, and won All Breeds Champion in Adelaide, which is the best White Suffolk show in Australia,” Mr Donnan said.
The August, 2015 ram, sired by Kurralea 130305, recorded Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV’s) of a 0.72 kilogram birthweight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT) of 13.31kg, fat depth (PFAT) of -0.81 millimetres and eye muscle depth (PEMD) of 1.47.
He was purchased by Streaky Bay, South Australia, farmer Leroy Hull, on behalf of a syndicate.
The pevious record was set in 2005, when Detpa Grove sold a ram for $36,000.
Mr Donnan said he put his success down to breeding sheep with good figures and structure.
“I said to a bloke, you see a good stallion or a good bull, or a good pigeon, or a good rooster - you know it’s a good animal,” Mr Donnan said.
“It could be a wild brumby, it was always going to be at the front of the pack.”
He said it was likely to be his last sale of Poll Dorsets, as “I think the White Suffolks have taken over.”
The White Suffolks had an advantage over the Poll Dorsets in some areas, such as not being as susceptible to grass seeds and having a more active temperament.
“It’s the one percenters – the shepherds and the smothers,” Mr Donnan said.
Elders Birchip’s Shane McLoughlan said the sale was a reflection of the industry.
“We were jumping for joy when we equalled the record, at $36,000, but then we blew it apart,” Mr McLoughlan said.
“We all know the flock numbers are down – Australia wide, flock numbers are down to billy-oh.
“This could be a turning point.”
It was a triumphant return to Sheepvention for Anden, after a 15 year break from the event.
Sheepvention judge Chris Badcock, Fairburn, Tasmania, commented on the ram’s structure and early maturing.
At Sheepvention, it weighed 121.5 kilograms, had 10mm of fat and 49mm eye muscle depth.
It won from 190 White Suffolk entries from 23 exhibitors.
