Banquet White Suffolk, Suffolk and Southdown rams get interstate support

The $2400 top price was reached six times over the Southdown/White Suffolk, White Suffolk, Southdown and Suffolk ram offering put together by Gordon and Hamish Branson at their joint ram sale.

The top-priced rams in the Southdown/White Suffolk offering were purchased by return and a volume buyer for the day Garry Whitehead, Nutrien Mortlake, for Derek Anders, Hexham.

"Derek has been buying from Gordon and Hamish since they started the stud, over his first-cross ewes that he purchases in," Mr Whitehead said.

"He was one of the first clients to buy the crossbred rams from the boys as well.

"He has had terrific results selling the progeny from the Banquet rams through the Ballarat saleyards.

"They are good meaty Banquet rams, with great shape, and even fat cover.

"We find the earlier rams are the better rams, and as the sale goes on they are usually the best-value rams."

In total Mr Anders purchased 11 rams to a top of $2400, to average $2320.

Another volume buyer who secured 11 rams for an average of $1790 was Hayden Lanyon, Elders Mortlake, purchasing on behalf of Salt Creek, Warndoo.

"It was their first time purchasing rams from Banquet," Mr Lanyon said.

"They traditionally have had a Merino flock, but they have been breeding some first-cross ewes.

"They have been trialling rams from different places, but they wanted to give the Southdown/White Suffolk rams a trial over the ewes seeing results from other people.

"The rams purchased today will go over their mature ewe portion of the flock."

Another volume buyer was Zena Kilpatrick, Hexham, who purchased eight rams for an average of $2048.

Gordon Branson said the sale result was overwhelming.

"As any sale day you never know what is going to happen," he said.

"It is really starting to show the work we have done for 20 years, is starting to push further, as we had the NSW support for the first time today.

"There were about five new clients purchasing on the day, and to see them pick up multiple rams is a great thing for our program.

"We have really maintained a top-quality ewe flock in the White Suffolks, which is working really well in the progeny we are selling.

"Spending the money is the critical part for us, in buying the best possible genetics we can to keep our flock where it is and grow it further."

Hamish Branson echoed his brother's comments.

"It was a good result overall, particularly the new clients coming in, even from NSW on AuctionsPlus," he said.

"The focus on good structure and good-boned rams that have the longevity is a big focus for us because the rams need to work.

"The clients are happy with the rams they have been using and that is growing and people are starting to notice it."