IF anyone was looking for proof of the nationwide growth and popularity of the UltraWhite breed, they needed to look no further than the sale results of the annual Hillcroft Farms UltraWhite ram sale at Popanyinning where the total clearance of 180 sires fetched an average of $2708.
The 2018 sale was a huge success by anyone's standards with a sale average of $2130 for the sale of 155 sires, but this year's fixture went to new heights, cementing the UltraWhite as one of the must-have sheep meat breeds in Australia.
Each year the sale draws in buyers from across the country, with buyers registrations coming in this year from South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, as well as from throughout the WA agricultural region and over the phone via AuctionsPlus.
This makes for strong demand and steep competition on each lot as the Landmark auctioneering team made their way through the pens.
By the end of the selling effort nearly every single one of the 52 registered buyers managed to successfully buy an UltraWhite under the hammer, pushing the sale to a gross of $487,500, up by more than $150,000 on last year, with a sale top price of $7000, once again paid by an Eastern States-based stud.
Holding the bidding card on the top-priced ram this year was Roy Addis, Landmark Breeding, who was operating on behalf of Matt Wood, Khan Dorpers, Goodooga, New South Wales.
When the bidding kicked off at $3000, it took a bit of perserverence but in the end Mr Addis emerged from the bidding tussle with the sale top-priced ram, beating last year's top price by $400.
Mr Addis had plenty of good things to say about the top-priced ram of the day which was now headed to NSW.
"As you can understand when you look at him in the pen, this ram was selected on his length, growth and overall carcass attributes," Mr Addis said.
"The buyer is a first time buyer at Hillcroft and they are looking to infuse some UltraWhite blood into their White Dorper stud ewes.
"He will also go into an ET program."
When asked how Khan Dorpers had come across the Hillcroft Farms UltraWhites, Mr Addis said they had been watching the progress of the stud for a while.
"I think they've been keeping an eye on the progress of the Hillcroft UltraWhites," he said.
"The sheep here have come a long way from where they started and as Dawson senior said at the start of the sale, this drop of rams today was certainly something to be proud of."
The top-priced ram was an August 2018-drop lamb with ASVBs including 0.07 BWT, 9.7 WWT, 15.3 PWWT, 1.8 PFAT, 2.3 PEMD, 195.1 CarcasePlus and 141.9 TCP index.
Khan Dorpers also secured the ram in lot two for $4200 which had figures including 0.12 BWT, 9.5 WWT, 15 PWWT, -0.5 PFAT, 1.4 PEMD, 193.34 CarcasePlus and 145.7 TCP index.
The second top-priced ram of the day also went interstate, with Justin Bammann, JM & KA Bammann, Cockaleechie, South Australia, going to $6400 for the ram in lot 18 after the bidding was opened at $2200.
This year was the first time Mr Bammann had made the trip to WA to buy at the sale but was already familiar with Hillcroft UltraWhite genetics.
"These are the best UltraWhites going around so it's best to come to the source in my opinion," Mr Bammann said.
By the end of the sale he had bought a team of six UltraWhites to an average of $4017, looking for maternal breeding traits to help improve the ewe flock of about 2300 UltraWhites he runs.
In terms of his second top-priced selection, Mr Bammann said he thought it was a very well-put together ram with figures to match.
The August 2018-drop lamb had ASBVs including 0.05 BWT, 8.5 WWT, 13.6 PWWT, 0.7 PFAT, 2.4 PEMD, 192.85 CarcasePlus and 144.2 TCP index.
Volume buyers on the day were from WA, with first time buyers to the stud Hamish and Aletha Ball, Ball Farming, Redmond, buying up numbers to help establish a new flock.
By the end of the sale the Ball account had 16 UltraWhites tallied up to a top of $3000 and an overall average of $2200.
"We're starting up a prime lamb enterprise and we think this type of sheep will do well in our environment," Mr Ball said.
"We are aiming for well-grown, shedding sheep with a bit of size so that's what we were looking for today."
Another buyer who secured numbers on the day was David Knipe, JW & SD Knipe & Sons, Spencers Brook, who returned to the sale again to buy 11 sires to a top of $3800 and a combined average of $2909.
Mr Knipe, who runs a Kojak ewe flock at Spencers Brook said he had bought from the sale last year and was already seeing positive results on the ground with this year's lamb drop which was why he had returned to buy again.
"There was plenty of quality to choose from in the shed and we were able to get about the same amount of rams as last year so we're happy with our purchases," Mr Knipe said.
AuctionsPlus was a major operator on the day, landing a total of 21 sires, including a top of $3100 and an average of $2419, thanks to the bidding efforts of Landmark Narrogin agent Ashley Lock who spent the day on the phone, while other local volume buyers included M Carmody Holdings Pty Ltd, Kulin, who bought 12 to average $2217 including a top of $2400 twice and Timaru Pastoral Co, Jolimont, who came away with nine at an average of $2978, including the very first ram sold on the day at a price tag of $4800.
More than 20 other buyers came away with more than one UltraWhite ram by the conclusion of the sale, with the entire catalogue selling to an eager crowd which remained to follow the sale until the very last pen.
Speaking after the sale, Landmark auctioneer Steve Wright said the Bradford family was to be congratulated for their on-going excellence in the presentation of their UltraWhite rams.
"That excellence was reflected in the very strong result on the day," Mr Wright said.
"There were several volume buyers who helped contribute to the positive result, as well as geographic diversity among the buyers in attendance."
Landmark Breeding representative Roy Addis agreed and added there was consistency of carcase attributes right through the sale.
"From pen one to pen 180, there was consistency backed up by improved ASBVs and that is a real credit to Dawson and Greta," Mr Addis said.
"With all the dedicated hard work and genetic progress paying off, it was a wonderful line-up of rams which will contribute well to our prime lamb industry."
Dawson Bradford senior was thrilled with the final result of the sale.
"It's a great endorsement for us that lets us know we're on the right track with our breeding program," Mr Bradford said.
"We were really pleased with our offering this year and it was fantastic to see about six new buyers at the sale as well as returning clients.
"We've also had glowing feedback from the rams we've sold in the past and it's taken a few years to develop to that point but it's exciting to hear these rams are performing well for our clients because I really believe the sheep have to promote themselves through their performance.
"I'd like to thank my family, our staff, buyers and the Landmark team for their efforts which helped to make this year's sale a success."