*47 of 74 rams sold to $3700, av $1326
THE LUBCKE family welcomed back new and return clients to their second annual Leonella Border Leicester on-property sale at Inverleigh on Friday.
It was their offering of Superborders that drew out the top-priced ram.
Purchased by Brian Buckland, Yea, through Marty Gleeson, TB White & Sons, Ballarat, the ram had a Border Leicester Cross Index of 117.61.
"They have a small stud, and wanted the best ram with the most shape and style to do the job at Yea," Mr Gleeson said.
"Given the current conditions in the two weeks leading up to the sale, we know that he will handle the area well.
"He has been purchasing rams from the Lubcke family for some time, and knows the sheep well, and that they always do the job."
The second top-priced ram was purchased by Daniel Koop, Nhill.
"We were looking for rams that had good shape, that would cover a bit of ground," he said.
"Another key factor we were looking for was rams that had tighter skin, to suit our area that they wouldn't let the dirt and seed in, keeping our vegetable matter low in our wool.
"The ram just had a really good-shaped hindquarter that was a large part of us going to the price we did on him."
Another return buyer to the sale was AWN Victorian state manager Kelvin Shelley, who purchased eight rams for clients across Victoria.
"The clients I was buying for on the day were looking for good wool type Border Leicesters so that they are keeping that micron down around the 26-27-micron mark," he said.
"The rams' progeny go through the first-cross ewe sales in December and January across the state, and these clients have always done well with the Leonella rams in those sales.
"The rams grow out well and they aren't too big, but still have that shape, which is what you need in the Border Leicesters.
"They are just rams that are doing the job consistently and that's what we are looking for."
Leonella stud principal Noel Lubcke thought the sale was a reflection of the season, with the wet conditions impacting buyers in attendance at the sale.
"Considering the year and the weather in the weeks leading up to the sale, the rams stood up really well," he said.
"I feel the biggest impact to the sale was the weather, it was just that wet that the buyers didn't know what to do, with many farms still having a large amount of water sitting in paddocks.
"Our focus will be to continue maintaining the quality of the rams we produce."
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
