*56 of 115 White Suffolks sold to $2000, av $893
*15 of 72 Poll Dorsets sold to $2000, av $933
A high quality line up of 187 White Suffolk and Poll Dorset ram lambs were presented for buyer competition by the Funke family last Friday at their Western Flat, SA, property, producing a satisfactory outcome in the circumstances across the country.
Of the 115 White Suffolks offered, 56 sold to a top of $2000, and average of $893, while 15 of the 72 Poll Dorsets also topped at $2000 and averaged $933.
Combined, 71 sold to average $901.
This result saw four more buyers and 15 more rams sell than at last year’s inaugural summer ram lamb sale, and the average was up $45.
Combined with their annual spring ram sale, the Funke family has sold 407 rams at auction at a $1290 average in the last four months.
The 187 ram lambs weighed up to 106.5 kilograms and averaged 84.5kg at just seven to nine months of age.
“It was a terrific line up and a real credit to the Funke family with the quality of their genetics showing through with the high growth rates and carcase figures,” Elders stud stock auctioneer Tony Wetherall said.
“The numbers they offered gave clients a great selection choice, and in all honesty, you wouldn’t see a better line up anywhere in the country.”
In just the second year of at least a five-year plan to provide a wide selection of choices for spring lambing producers and those who mate their ewe lambs a little later, senior Bundara Downs principal Steve Funke said it was a very good result.
“When you consider the number of rams across the country still left from the spring sales, it is very pleasing to think the buyers who purchased today were prepared to operate here,” Mr Funke said.
Sara Morgan, Macarthur, paid the sale’s equal top of $2000 for the White Suffolk, BD 1755Tw, for her stud flock.
Sired by Langley Heights 572, this 90kg ram lamb had a post weaning weight EBV of +15.8, was positive 0.3 for fat and had a huge eye muscle EBV of 3.10, culminating in a Carcase Plus index of 213.8.
The equal sale top of $2000 was paid by RA & JC Batters, Tillside stud, Sutherland, for the Poll Dorset ram lamb, BD 1815Tw by BD 8148.
Its figures were 15.5 for pwwt and 2.0 for pemd, it had a Carcase Plus index of 204.1.
Having the biggest impact by far on the overall result was the Graetz family, purchasing through Elders Bordertown, SA.
David and sons Tim and Jono purchased 22 White Suffolks, all at $800.
These will go to their ‘Peebles’ property at Pine Hill, SA.
Jono Graetz will put them over 2500 of their surplus Ashrose blood Merino ewes, producing store lambs for backgrounders and/or feedlotters.
“This program works really well for us, with the lambs dropped in April and May and going to regular customers when weaned in July,” Jono said.
David Graetz said they purchase a bit over 20 rams per year and last year purchased 13 at the Bundara spring sale, plus some from another bloodline.
“The Bundara Downs rams performed so much better than the others, so we’ve come back here, while also hoping we might be able to take advantage of the opportunity this sale offered and be able to get some of their very best at a cheaper rate,” he said.
