*Total clearance of 52 Poll Dorset rams to $2100, av $1563
*28 of 32 White Suffolk rams sold to $2100, av $1417
*Seven of eight Elite White Suffolk rams sold to $3000, av $1771
A MEGA line-up of White Suffolk, Poll Dorset and Elite White Suffolk rams sold to buyers from across eastern Australia during Pepperton's sixth on-property ram sale.
The Elmore stud recorded a 95 per cent clearance rate with 87 of the 92 rams sold to $3000 to buyers from locations including Shepparton, Camperdown, Tarwin Lower and Gundagai, NSW.
Stud principals Roger and Dianne Trewick said it was the highest offering of rams sold at their annual sale, up from 70 sold last year.
"The overall average was about $1537 which was $400 up on last year and we were very pleased with that," Mrs Trewick said.
"We were also pleased with the online presence because that did push prices slightly higher than 2019."
The sale was interfaced with Elite Livestock Auctions with about a third of the purchases coming from online.
The top-priced Elite White Suffolk ram, Lot 53 190457, was bought by the Say family, Yasloc stud, Glen Innes, NSW, for $3000.
The ram was described by Pepperton as the stand-out of its draft with a great presence and Lambplan figures to support its ability.
The spring-drop ram had a 0.27 birth weight (BWT), 17.2 for post weaning weight (PWWT), 3.6 for eye muscle depth (EMD) and a positive fat score of 0.34.
His Terminal Carcase Production Index was 160.13, while his Eating Quality Index at 161.36.
"These traits are well above the national Lambplan average," Mrs Trewick said.
The dearest $2100 White Suffolk flock ram was bought by James and Jacinta Taylor, Lincoln Park, Tandarra, who bought a total of four White Suffolks and three Poll Dorsets last Wednesday.
"The Taylors were looking for low birth weight, high growth and muscle and positive fat figures," Mrs Trewick said.
Meanwhile, David Hobson, Thorpdale, bought the top-priced Poll Dorset ram, Lot 1 190126, for $2100.
"Mr Hobson did not intend to purchase a Poll Dorset ram but found he could not let such a great figured ram with a weaning weight of 13, post weaning weight of 19.6 and 2.8 muscle pass by," Mrs Trewick said.
Volume buyers included Lachlan Harris, Wokolena Grazing, Wagga Wagga, NSW, who bought 12 Poll Dorset rams to $1700, while Gerard Keogh, Mountain View, Morven, bought 10 to $1600.
Mr Keogh, who joins about 6000 cross-bred ewes annually, said the rams would be joined in mid-February.
"The rams have a good mix of figures and they're some of the higher weight gain rams out there," Mr Keogh said.
"Roger and Dianne are pretty good people to deal with and they're very honest people which is much appreciated."
Andrew and Jennifer Burrows, Camperdown, bought five White Suffolk rams to $1800, to average $1350 across the draft.
"We've had a good run out of them and we get good growth rates when we cross them with medium-size Merino ewes," Mr Burrows said.
"We've found we've had less birthing issues since switching to Pepperton about 10 years ago."
The rams will be joined in February to about 600 ewes.
Other prominent buyers came from Ballarat, Ararat, Stawell, Warrnambool, Colbinabbin, Raywood and Gunbower, as well as several from the local district.
Several of the purchasers were new clients to Pepperton.
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