Ram lambs fetched a high of $4800 at Cloven Hills' second annual online summer sale last Thursday.
In only its second summer sale, stud principals Kate and Chris Dorahy, Nareen, offered 215 composite rams and sold 117 to a sale high of $4800, and a catalogue average of $1845.
The sale was conducted entirely online, with a physical previewing before the Auctions Plus sale, where of the 68 registered bidders, 24 were successful from across Victoria, NSW and Tasmania.
"We offered double the volume of ram lambs this year (compared to last) and the av price of ram lambs increase by $600, so we were happy with the outcome," Ms Dorahy said.
"It didn't break records but it did give our clients a chance to top up with their number of rams."
The top price was paid by Vicky and Tony Geddes, Yallock, Holbrook, NSW, for Lot 92, a 2020-drop ram lamb who recorded $168 on the Maternal Carcase Production Index (MCP+).
The ram recorded Australian Sheep Breeding Values of 0.546 for birth weight, 10.4 for weaning weight and 15.7 for post-weaning weight.
The second-highest price was $4000, paid by Nutrien Solutions livestock agent Rick Smith, on behalf of Mareeta Cox, Birklands, Coojar, for Lot 193 - a former stud sire.
The 2018-drop ram recorded MCP+ index of $182, and 0.49 BW, 9.2 WWT and 144.5 PWWT.
Volume buyer included Paraway Pastoral Company, with 20 rams that hit a top price of $3700, for a selection average of $2295.
The draft was put together by property manager Robert Cooper, whose selection focused on the number of lambs weaned, with rams destined for Barton - an aggregation of five properties near Moyston.
Paraway's top price was paid for Lot 113, a ram lamb with a MCP+ index of $175, BW of 0.63, WWT of 10.5, PWWT of 17 and number of lambs weaned at 7.5.
Bulk buyer Peter Young, Glen Collin Pastoral, Sallywood, Walcha selected 15 rams, which topped at $3000, and av $1627.
New clients were lured to the stud's comprehensive data collection, which Ms Dorahy said contributed to the outstanding performance that saw 82 Cloven Hills composite rams in the MCP+ top 100 sires.
"We were blown away by the strength of demand for the ram lambs," she said.
"You're getting the next generation earlier and younger. There is more management involved but you are getting the next generation of genetics in your ewe flock a year ahead."
Annabelle Cleeland
Annabelle Cleeland is a Stock & Land journalist. She has worked at Australian Community Media for more than a decade serving in a number of roles including editor, senior journalist and national sheep & wool writer. She runs a fine Merino wool property with her young family in North-East Victoria.
Annabelle Cleeland is a Stock & Land journalist. She has worked at Australian Community Media for more than a decade serving in a number of roles including editor, senior journalist and national sheep & wool writer. She runs a fine Merino wool property with her young family in North-East Victoria.
