Dohne rams to $5000 in feature Ballarat sale

Two Victorian studs and two NSW studs offered 45 rams at the feature sale at the Ballarat Showgrounds, where 24 rams sold to a top price of $5000 to average $1894.

The sale-topper was consigned by Macquarie Dohne stud, which earlier this year sold 196 Dohne rams for a perfect clearance to an average of $3518 at its on-property auction at Ballimore, NSW.

Lot 1 was bought by Darren Gurnett and Michelle Sutcliffe, Gunyado Dohne stud, Kerang, who were coincidentally first-time vendors at the annual sale.

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Macquarie Dohne stud co-principal John Nadin, Warren, NSW, said he was pleased with the total clearance of his 13 rams to both repeat and new clients.

"We've got a good strong clientele down here in Victoria," he said.

"It's all about balance for us and we're coming into Victoria so you have to have quality wool and you have to have good feet and that's what we're focused on.

"The top-priced ram was in the top 20 to 30 per cent for post-weaning weight and he has positive eye muscle and was also in the top 40 per cent for clean fleece weight so he was a good all-rounder."

The Ballimore operation joins about 1800 stud ewes and runs a large-scale embryo transfer program which starts in late November and involves 750 embryos from 75 specially-selected stud ewes.

The stud sells about 500 rams per annum, and Mr Nadin said seasonal conditions in the north had been "terrific" this year, ultimately helping with the presentation of his rams.

Lot 1, MD180230, was an April 2018-drop ram sired by MD151827 and out of MD152388.

It was shorn on October 5, 2021.

The top-priced Lot 1 buyer, Darren Gurnett, said the ram would be used in his stud breeding program in northern Victoria.

"I liked his depth, width and length and he's by a proven sire so he will help out stud a lot," he said.

"He'll be joined to some young maiden ewes we've already picked out from last year's drop."

The Gunyado operation includes 250 stud ewes at Kerang, alongside 300 commercial ewes.

Macquarie Dohne stud sold its complete draft of 13 rams in total to average $2384, including the second top-priced ram for $4250.

Alistair and Cheryl Greenshields, Glenaroua Dohne stud, sold 10 of 20 rams to $1250 (10 times) to average $1250.

Donald and Karen Mills, Kardinia Dohne stud, Corowa, NSW, sold one ram for $2000 with six passed in.

Gunyado had all five rams passed in at auction.

Elders stud stock Victorian manager Ross Milne described the sale as "tough going".

After the first lot sold, seven lots were passed in before the second ram went under the hammer.

"We sold about half of the draft on offer and for what we sold, we sold reasonably well," he said.

"We didn't have a big crowd of registered buyers here but the vendors are realistic and have supported this sale for a number of years but it certainly was a buyers' market."

Among the volume buyers were Coad Pastoral, Shelford, which bought 10 rams to $1500.

John and Jenny Elliott and Bruce Stewart, Sidonia, who bought four rams to a top price of $3500.

Five rams sold to clients via AuctionsPlus to a top price of $2250.