Kedleston Park offers best ever ram line up

That’s according to stud principal John Humbert, who said he was pleased with the result of his fourth sale.

The Calivil stud sold 40 of 44 rams, to a top price of $5000, and an average price of $2269.

The average price is up $627 on last year’s average, and follows trends of increased averages since the stud’s first sale in 2015.

The top-priced $5000 ram is also the second highest price the stud has ever sold a ram for, following the sale of a ram at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo 10 years ago for $7500.

The ram was purchased by Landmark’s John McGrath, on behalf of R Vearing Nominees, Ararat, who have bought rams from the stud for the last couple of years, including one at Sheepvention in Hamilton recently for $3250.

Mr McGrath said both rams were similar in type, and embodied what the operation wants to breed from.

“I purchased the ram for his size and correct conformation, and bulk of quality wool,” Mr McGrath said.

“And for his meat ability as well, the more you can put on the carcase, the more profit you’ll get.”

He said Kedleston Park rams have been “doing their job” in producing fast maturing lambs with plenty of good wool.

The top ram was a May 2017-drop, sired by a Poll Boonoke ram, and had fleece that measured 18.5 micron, 14.1 co-efficient of variation (CV), 2.6 standard deviation (SD) and 99.7 per cent comfort factor (CF).

Mr Humbert credited booming markets for the successful sale.

“The main reason the sale was so successful is the state of the mutton and wool markets, they’re doing exceptionally well,” he said.

But the $600 average increase year-on-year is the biggest he’s ever recorded.

“It’s been a steady climb to get where we are, but that was a big jump,” he said.

He said his offering was of big, bulky wool cutters.

“They covered both the meat side of the equation and the wool side, they grow a lot of quality wool,” he said.

And he said offering a quality lineup was difficult given the tough seasonal conditions that had been endured.

The property has only received 114 millimetres of rain so far this year, in what is a 400mm rainfall area.

He thanked local and return buyers for their support.

Volume buyers included BR and SL Wilson, Bradvale, who bought four to a top of $4500, J and S Baker, Bamganie, who bought four to a top of $4000, and WR Stewart, Werneth, who bought three to a top of $4500.