*Total clearance of 101 rams sold to $3200, av $1760
Westleigh White Suffolk stud had its first wet sale in 16 years at Thursday's annual on-property sale at Lake Wongan.
Lot 7 was the top-priced ram of the day, a 15-month-old son of Premier 15P021, who was selected and used in the stud as a ram lamb by the Porter family.
The ram was secured by new purchasers to the sale Ken and Anne Tippett, Glengyron, Dean, who run a mixed-farming operation, including a Shorthorn stud.
"He was our pick of the selected rams that were put forward," Mr Tippett said.
"I really liked the ram for his correct structure, low birthweight and great length.
"The ram will be used over a few ewes to breed flock rams for our commercial sheep operation."
The second top-priced ram, Lot 27, was secured by Chris and Wayne Bruty, Bruty Family Partnership, Mt Emu, through Elders Ballarat, who secured seven rams at an average of $2400.
The family runs 1800 first-cross ewes and 2000 Merino ewes with 800 of them joined to Border Leicesters for their replacement first crosses.
"We liked Lot 27 for his low birthweight, his after birth growth rate, and eye muscle area," Mr Bruty said.
"He was straight and had great length, getting as much meat as possible for our lambs.
"Westleigh is local to us, so they are already climatised to suit our conditions.
"Everyone's chasing rams this year."
Return clients Stepnell Farms, Waubra, were a volume buyer present on the day securing 10 rams out of the draft offered.
"We really like the overall capacity and look of the rams that the Porter family put forward each year," Courtney Stepnell said.
"We have been purchasing the rams here for 10 years and they just work well in our operation and being grassfed we know that they will adjust easily."
Westleigh stud Principal Ian Porter was lost for words at the conclusion of the sale.
"This year's average was an increase of over $700, and combined with a total clearance was phenomenal," Mr Porter said.
"After the last few years of low prices, today's sale certainly made it worth it, especially seeing the new and return buyers.
"We have a real focus on commercially-viable sheep, and these rams were a testament to that, being solely prepared on forage barley."
Jess Sharp
Jess is a Livestock Sales Representative with Stock and Land. If you have interest in advertising please contact Jess at jess.sharp@stockandland.com.au
Jess is a Livestock Sales Representative with Stock and Land. If you have interest in advertising please contact Jess at jess.sharp@stockandland.com.au
