*102 of 200 rams sold to $2050, av $1042
Long-term repeat clients have underpinned Cloven Hills Composite Maternals January ram sale following a "volatile" six months for Victorian prime lamb producers.
Cloven Hills stud principals Chris and Kate Dorahy, Nareen, said the summer ram sale on Thursday "exceeded expectations" following a challenging six months in both weather conditions and sheep market prices.
"The last five or six months have been the worst the livestock industry has seen for a long time," Mrs Dorahy said.
"It reinforces to us that you've got to be looking at your business and production goals over 10 years, not just six months.
"Buying sheep that perform, have known performance and give you the result you want is invaluable and that's the feedback from clients who have been with us for more than a decade, buyers who purchased from us in a pretty terrible market in October and some, again [on Thursday]."
Cloven Hills' philosophy is based on extensive performance data records and phenotyping, backed up with genomic data and genetics sold to other studs across Australia.
"We've created an in-depth report on our stud through measuring millions of data points, physically assessing animals and applying heavy selection pressure on productive traits and further validating that with genomics, for successful, profitable, prime lamb production," Mrs Dorahy said.
"You can't make up this information, when you've got millions of data points backing it up."
The top price of $2050 was knocked down twice in the sale, while the stud recorded an average of $1042.
Long-time clients Tony and Vicky Geddes, Geddes Pastoral Co, Holbrook, NSW, purchased Lot 17 at the top price and was a volume buyer, picking up six lots at an average $1443.
Mrs Geddes said the rams would be joined to a flock of mature ewes and ewe lambs in March for a spring lambing.
"We've bought from Cloven Hills for three or four years now and we like the fact their rams produce moderate ewes and they have amazing fertility," she said.
"Our mature ewes this year averaged 178 per cent lambs weaned and you can get a great package of a ram that has moderate-to-low birth weight, but then still has good post-weaning weight, growth and carcase figures."
Ardmeen Farms, Poolaijelo, purchased the equal top-priced ram at Lot 8.
Return client Paraway Pastoral Co was also a volume buyer, adding to its Cloven Hills genetics base.
"We have this sale because our clients expect it and look for it - not to break price records," Mrs Dorahy said.
"People are using the current market and this sale to upgrade their genetics and that's fantastic.
"This sale is about giving clients the opportunity to top up their ram teams no matter their budget or business model.
"If our clients are successful, our business will be and we are determined to keep providing known and proven genetics that allows our clients to be making money over the long term."
