*6 of 6 Southdown feature rams $5200, av $2100
*96 of 108 Poll Dorset rams to $4500, av $1761
*15 of 15 Southdown ewes to $1200 (x four), av $1033.
Hawkesdale stud Shellal has set new top-price for a Southdown ram, at its 43rd annual sale.
Stud co-principal Tania King said she was very pleased with the $5200 price-tag for the Southdown.
"That's the most I have sold a Southdown ram for, so I am pretty thrilled about that," Ms King said.
She said it was one of two stand-out sires in the feature rams offered on the day; the other was lot 136, which went for $2600.
"They were just correct, upstanding rams, good on their feet - they were good just all the way through, she said.
The sale-topper went to a buyer from Adelong, NSW, through AuctionsPlus.
" I think we have just struck true to the breed type," she said.
"That's structurally sound, to start with, and I think buyers have seen that.
"Our structure is there, now we are working on our data, because that is the way of the future."
Ms King said producers were also looking for good terminal carcase production figures.
"They are looking for a good weaning weight and eye muscle depth, they want rams that have hindquarters,' she said.
She said she wasn't surprised the Southdown topped the sale,
"It was an absolute thrill to do that," she said.
"The sire of the Southdown ram was champion in Adelaide in 2019, and sold to Fairbank Stud, Hagley, Tasmania, earlier this year.
"The dam, Lochdale 33 had the top price stud ram that sold to Silk stud, Cavendish, at last year's sale."
Lot 135, the top priced ram, was a Southdown, out of Shellal 180013, by Lochdale 170033.
A twin, he had a birthweight of 0.35kg, a weaning weight of 7.5kg and post-weaning weight of 11.6kg.
His post-weaning fat measurement was 0.8 millimetres and post-weaning eye muscle depth was 1.6mm
He had an intramuscular fat measurement of 0.00, a lean meat yield of 0.0 and terminal carcase production figure of 125.4.
Lot 5 was the top-selling Poll Dorset.
He was sired by Bundara Downs 170180 out of Shellal 180566.
The ram was a twin, with a BWt of 0.55kg, a WWt of 10.8kg and PWWt of 16.8kg.
He had a PFat of -1.0 millimetres, PEMD of 2.5mm, an IMF of -0.9 and lean meat yield of 4.2 per cent.
The ram's TCP was 148.6.
Ms King said before moving into Southdowns, she had been involved for many years with Poll Dorsets.
"My parents established the Poll Dorset stud in 1966, so I have just followed in their footsteps," Ms King said.
"I was very established in the Dorsets and know what a sheep should 'do', and look like, and I know a breed type," she said.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
