Poll Dorset
*113 of 128 sold to $2000 (three times), av $1004
Southie’s
*14 of 24 sold to $900, av $771
REPEAT buyers were once again the cornerstone of the market at the 39th annual Shellal Poll Dorset and Southie ram sale, Hawkesdale, on Thursday.
Poll Dorset rams topped at $2000 on three occasions while the Southies sold to $900.
Johno Turnbull, Ardazal Poll Dorset stud, Wycheproof, showed his continued liking for the Shellal genetics buying two of the three rams that made $2000.
After buying lot 2 and 6 in 2017, Mr Turnbull this year bought lots 1 and 8.
Shellal co-principal Tania King, said the third $2000 ram was bought by a recently registered stud near Ballarat.
Ms King said the sale average this year was slightly up on 2017 – $1004 this year, $978 last year.
She said the combination of a higher average and a larger offering and clearance rate this year was a difficult combination to achieve and a pleasing result.
The good lamb market was the main factor behind the demand.
Buyers also came from Macarthur, Condah and Hamilton as well as local areas.
The stud draws its biggest interest from the Timboon area where a number of buyers had been supporting the sale for many years.
“We keep in touch with our clients and take on feedback we get,” Ms King said.
Despite the dry conditions in NSW, there was buying support from that state to put over Merino/Border Leicester cross ewes.
Volume buyer of the Poll Dorsets included a Willaura purchaser who bought 11 rams.
The buyer was a first-time visitor to Shellal, needing to find a new source of rams after their previous supplier had dispersed.
Of the Southie selection there was an increased offering of 24 rams (14 in 2017) with 14 sold. The selection averaged $771.
