*144 of 148 Poll Dorset rams sold to $3000, av $1645
*133 of 146 White Suffolk rams sold to $3400, av $1645
*Total clearance of 16 Charollais-cross rams sold to $2200, av $1662
One of the oldest breeding Poll Dorset studs has sold close to 300 rams at auction in Tasmania.
Valma Poll Dorset, White Suffolk and Charollais-cross stud, Whitemore, Tasmania, sold 293 rams at its 60th on-property sale on Thursday.
READ MORE:
The sale included 144 of 148 Poll Dorset rams which sold to a top price of $3000 a head to average $1645, 133 of 146 White Suffolk rams which sold to $3400 to average $1645, and a total clearance of 16 Charollais-cross rams to $2200 to average $1662.
Fifty-nine bidders bought rams via online platform AuctionsPlus, while the stud recorded a 94 per cent clearance rate.
Valma stud principal Andrew McLauchlan said it was an "awesome" result.
"It was by far the biggest sale we've ever had," he said.
"We had mostly local buyers on this sale with great support from people who were chasing big drafts of rams."
Mr McLauchlan said he was particularly proud of the Poll Dorset breed in his stud.
"My grandfather, Lyel Stuart, was one of the founding members of the breed and one of the first people to breed the horns off the Dorset Horned sheep," he said.
"We have a close association with the breed and have been involved right from the start."
The Charollais-cross sheep are a relatively new addition to the stud, introduced about eight years ago by the McLauchlans.
"A lot of people like them for their ease of lambing and their lower birth weights, but I'm not seeing much difference between the Charollais and the low birth weight White Suffolks we run," he said.
The top-priced $3400 White Suffolk ram was bought by Andrew Wilson, Wilson Ag, Mount Seymour.
Mr Wilson bought three rams in total.
He said the top-priced ram would be joined to White Suffolk ewes to produce self-replacing rams, while the other two rams would be joined to Border Leicester/Merino-cross ewes.
"It's the first time we've been to Valma and went there on the word of our agent," he said.
"We were very impressed with the even structure over the entire draft, along with the very good shape of the rams."
The top-priced Poll Dorset ram was sold for $3000 to mainland buyer, Athlone Poll Dorsets & Southdowns, Penshurst.
Connorville Station, Cressy, Tas, were among the volume buyers and bought more than a dozen rams during the annual sale.
Representing agent Mark Webb, Webb & Woodiwiss Livestock Marketing, said the Valma sheep were structurally correct and suited all the climatic conditions in Tasmania.
"The sale was very solid with 313 rams offered across the three breeds," he said.
"The main buying support came from Tasmania and local clients throughout the region.
"Valma has been breeding rams for six decades and they've had a lot of science and data behind their sheep for a long time."
Bryce Eishold
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
