A solid Poll Dorset clearance has pleased the Shellal stud principal

Stud principal Tania King said she was very pleased with the clearance and top price of $2800, at the on-farm and AuctionsPlus sale.

"It's about getting the rams out there and working, we had some new clients and there were rams for everybody at the sale," Ms King said. "We met the market."

Ms King said the stud aimed to breed ram with good eye-muscle depth and the growth that went with it.

She expected market conditions to turn around eventually.

'Of course it will, everything goes in cycles - we just have to ride it out," Ms King said.

"No-one could predict what happened, it's happened and now we are all in it and we have to find a way back.

"We don't need to lose faith or confidence - it will come back."

There were positive signs, as the lamb market had gone up a little in the last few weeks, she said.

Shellal sold 108 of 131 Poll Dorsets offered, to a top of $2800 and average of $895.

The stud sold seven of 15 Southies, to $800, averaging $571 and seven of 25 Southdowns, to $2000, av $985.

The top-priced ram of the sale was lot 3, a Poll Dorset, sired by Bundara Downs 170180, out of Shellal 190382.

A twin, the ram had a birthweight of 0.54kilograms, a weaning weight of 10.8kg and post-weaning weight of 15.5kg.

He had a lean meat yield of 4.1 per cent, intramuscular fat of -0.8pc, post-weaning eye muscle depth of 2.7 millimetres and post-weaning fat measurement of -0.65mm.

The ram's terminal carcase production index was 142.7, while his lamb eating quality index was measured at 132.4.

He was purchased by Luke Mullane, Ballan.

The top Southdown ram, lot 136, was sired by Fairbank SD220001, out of Lochdale 170032.

Shellal also sold 12 of 19 Southdown ewes it offered, to a top of $600 and an average of $550.

Nutrien Bendigo livestock agent Nick Farley said it was a "very solid result," given the current conditions.

Buyers came from all over the south-west, including Casterton and Timboon, and as far north as Ballarat; Southdown ewes also went to Tasmania, Mr Farley said.

"There was the odd regular buyer missing, here and there, that's due to people being a little bit uncertain because they haven't sold any of their lambs, they haven't sold any old sheep," Mr Farley said.

"They are waiting to get a bit of money in their hand before they buy any rams."

He said the rams were "very, very good," with plenty of muscle.

"They are so true to type and structurally very sound, they have great carcase fats in them."

Nutrien Warrnambool livestock agent Nick Maddison said while the top price and average was back on last year, as was expected, the sale "held up pretty well.

"The quality was very good and I think anyone that came would have walked away pretty well, with what they picked up," Mr Maddison said.

"I think the breeding is a big part of it, the winter has been a bit kinder, so the rams presented with a bit more bloom than they would have last year."