*213 of 249 sold, to $3000 three times, av $1338
Strong support from local and interstate buyers pushed prices to a top of $3000 three times at the Cloven Hills annual composite ram sale on Monday, with an average of $1338 recorded.
In their fifth annual ram sale, but only their second on-property at Nareen, the Dorahy family added 50 rams to their lineup due to increased demand.
They also offered a selection of pure Coopworth rams to celebrate 40 years since the breed’s introduction to Australia.
Stud principal Kate Dorahy said they were very pleased with the depth and quality of their rams with the entire catalogue averaging in the top five per cent of the Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) maternal carcase production index.
“We were very pleased with the sale result, with more rams sold afterwards, and we are very appreciative of the support from both repeat buyers and 14 new purchasers,” she said.
“Our focus on hardiness with performance from moderately sized ewes is definitely what our clients are looking for.”
Kicking off the sale was a quality draft of 18 stud rams with Don Pegler, Oaklea Trust, Mount Gambier, SA, paying to $2750 for two young sires, while Tim Johnston, Waradgery, Brit Brit, and David Alexander, Coota Kelso, Cootamundra, NSW, each paid $2750 for a stud ram.
Philip Clark, Koppamurra, SA, paid the equal top price of $3000 for a high-indexing young sire. The twin-born ram featured an eye muscle depth of 2.3 millimetres, a lean meat yield of 5.8 and a maternal carcase production index of 152.
Mr Clark has been coming to the Cloven Hills sale for several years and is pleased with the performance of their rams.
“The rams have good doing ability, I like their black noses and feet and they are highly fertile,” he said.
He took home a further four rams which will be used in his self-replacing composite ewe flock.
Mr Clark’s brother, Stephen, also made the trip across from SA purchasing seven rams for an average of $1314.
Operating through AuctionsPlus, the top price was also paid by Rob Costin, Glenaire, for a selected stud ram boasting a maternal carcase production index figure of 157, while Angus and Bobbie McLean, Kurramyra, Culla, also paid to a top of $3000.
The McLean family, who are return buyers of Cloven Hills rams for five years, said the ram they purchased had very good maternal traits including a maternal carcase production index of 153 and 17 per cent for number of lambs weaned.
Volume buyers on the day included Nerrin Nerrin Pastoral Co, Nerrin Nerrin, who secured 14 rams, averaging $964, while Freeburn Family Trust, operating through Landmark Holbrook, NSW, purchased 11 rams for an average of $800 and S Kelsh, Naracoorte, SA, bought eight rams, averaging $1162.
Regular local buyers included Mt William Pastoral Co, Willaura, with 10 rams averaging $1405, Greg and Geraldine Featherston, Dunkeld, paid an average of $988 for eight rams, Colin Smith, Grassdale Estate, Grassdale, paid to $2500 for five rams and Carapook Pastoral Co, Casterton, took home seven rams, averaging $914.
The sale was conducted by Landmark with stud stock manager Andrew Sloan, handling the auctioneering duties.
Mr Sloan said it was a solid sale with the increased offering providing plenty of opportunity for new and existing clients to secure their selected rams.
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