Booloola top-priced White Suffolk ram headed west to WA stud

It was the most impressive sale in the 17-year history for the Baringhup stud, according to its principals, who sold their complete draft of 150 rams to average $1826.

The top-priced $3500 ram was one of two rams bought by interstate studs with a second ram, Lot 25 selling for $3200 and destined for SA.

Booloola stud principal Shane Baker was overwhelmed with the result.

"We put an extra 30 rams up for sale this year and knew a few existing clients weren't planning to buy because they had already found their rams," Mr Baker said.

"It was the best sale we've had in terms of average ... we've had total clearances but not with so many rams."

The White Suffolk stud's average jumped an healthy $280 on year-ago levels.

Like many stud stock sales in Victoria, it was the first time Booloola interfaced its sale with AuctionsPlus.

"We had a power issue at the start of the sale so I didn't see much of it," he said.

The top-priced June 2019-drop ram, Lot 20 Booloola 190196, was sired by Bundara Dns 156938 and weighed in at 133 kilograms.

The ram had a post weaning weight of 20.2, a post weaning fat depth of -0.4, a birth weight of 0.65, a post weaning eye muscle depth of 2.0 and an IMF of -0.28.

"Buyers were very focused on post weaning weights," Mr Baker said.

"Our point of difference is that we pride ourselves on early maturing rams and that our rams work in a wide range of climatic conditions and management systems.

"Our rams are suited for the domestic job as well as the heavy export market."

Mr Baker said buyers were made up mostly of return clients with a handful of new purchasers on the books.

"Part of the strength of the market was the promising seasonal conditions and strength of the lamb job locally," Mr Baker said.

"We were very nervous in the build up to the sale to come out on top like this is an absolute relief."

Volume buyers included Todd Heaysman, Bylands Creek, Glenaroua, who bought 22 rams.

"We run a portfolio of several farms in the area and will join the rams to Merinos in December," he said.

"The thing that attracts me to Booloola is low birth weights and their easy care sheep because often we can't get out to all of our properties during lambing so we need easy lambing rams.

"They also have very high growth rates to match which is pleasing and will help us produce ewe lambs that are sellable at eight months which helps with our marketing strategy."

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