Pepperton Poll Dorset & White Suffolk, Elmore, host annual sale

Pepperton Poll Dorset & White Suffolk stud co-principal Dianne Trewick, Elmore, said buyers at the stud's annual ram sale were from Western Australia, New South Wales and across western, central and northern Victoria.

"I'm feeling good, we had some really good prices and the rams have all gone to good places," she said.

"The market is down but we don't have an over-abundance of buyers, the AuctionsPlus improved our sales as well.

"We've had new buyers and old buyers, the top-priced ram was to Mark Yates at Barwon stud."

The sale offered 100 Poll Dorset and White Suffolk lots and sold 64 to $6500, with an overall average price of $1404.

The stud offered 50 Poll Dorset rams and sold 36 to $6500, with an average price of $1502, and had 50 White Suffolks on offer, with 28 rams selling to $3100 and an average price of $1278.

Barwon Poll Dorset & White Suffolk stud, Yerong Creek, NSW bought the top-priced Poll Dorset ram, Lot 2, 220240, for $6500.

Its Australian Sheep Breeding Values included a weaning weight (WWT) of 10.41 kilograms, post-weaning weight (PWWT) of 16.76kg, a post-weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD) of 3.66 millimetres, and -0.28 per cent intramuscular fat (IMF).

Its twin, Lot 3, 220241, sold for $5200.

Its ASBVs included a WWT of 10.77kg, PWWT of 17.34kg, a PEMD of 4.31mm, and -0.06pc IMF.

An AuctionsPlus buyer purchased the top-priced White Suffolk ram, Lot 59, for $3100.

Its ASBVs included a WWT of 12.01kg, PWWT of 19.24kg, a PEMD of 3.17mm, and -0.16pc IMF.

Mrs Trewick said the ram was bare-bellied, which was a drawcard for certain studs.

"Quite a few of the White Suffolks are bare-bellied and it's something the industry is looking at now because shearers are quite scarce," she said.

Elders livestock agent Jon Sutherland bid on behalf of several buyers at the sale from northern Victoria to central Victoria.

He said buyers were looking for rams ticking all the boxes, particularly positive fat.

"They were looking for positive fat and muscle with a good birth weight, basically what everybody wants," he said.

"Everybody is chasing the early maturing pattern with more positive fat in this modern world.

"We were lucky enough to buy those rams today at the price we wanted to pay."

Ray White Rural Albury director James Brown said he believed the sale average, in today's climate, was a "very healthy average".

"Overall I think it's an outstanding result given what's happening in the market at the moment," he said.