DANDARAGAN hosted the inaugural Pedaga White Suffolk stud on-farm sale recently, fittingly the sale was making history for the stud at the historic Yathroo property.
Stud co-principals Geoff Crabb and Dan Hester purchased the Pedaga White Suffolk stud four years ago.
Pedaga was originally owned by Steve and Ros Funcke, and was located at Bordertown, South Australia.
After an extremely successful Wagin Woolorama this year, where a group of two ewes and a ram from Pedaga took out the Grand Champion British and Australasian Interbreed Group and Champion British and Australasian Short Wool Group, Pedaga garnered plenty of interest.
Mr Crabb said since the stud had moved to WA they had sold a few times out of Dongara, but had made the decision to sell in their own right this year and into the future.
"It has not been the best season up here," Mr Crabb said.
"It has meant that people are cutting down their numbers for breeding due to lack of water and feed, but we have to start somewhere."
Mr Crabb said their timing may have made it a little tough, but it would not put a damper on their day.
Rightly so as there was a good contingent of buyers at the sale who travelled from as far south as Bridgetown and north to Mingenew.
The offering of 84 rams saw the sale kick off with some healthy competition, pushing prices to the sale high $1000 on the first line of pens.
The sale top price of $1000 was reached a total of three times throughout the sale, and all to the same buyer.
Having the discerning eye were new clients, Cundarra Pastoral, Lancelin, who purchased seven rams in total at the sale to the top of $1000 and for an average of $893.
Local Landmark Badgingarra and Dandaragan livestock agent, Brice Maddock, purchased the seven sires on behalf of Cundarra Pastoral.
"They had inspected the rams prior to the sale," Mr Maddock said.
"They had already picked out what they wanted and given me the instructions.
"They were looking at the figures and looked at the higher growth rates and post weaning weights."
Mr Maddock said Cundarra Pastoral would use the rams in its commercial flock of around 2500 breeding ewes.
The three top priced sires were penned in at lots 6, 22 and 28.
The first ram was a twin and exhibited figures of 11.5 WWT, 17.5 PWWT, 1.2 PEMD, -0.8 PFAT and a CarcasePlus index of 205.
Following on the second was also a twin had measurements of 11.2 WWT, 16.2 PWWT, 1.5 PEMD, -0.8 PFAT and CarcasePlus 204, with the third another twin birth and having ASBVs of 9.2 WWT, 15.4 PWWT, 2.3 PEMD, 0.1 PFAT and CarcasePlus 201.
The volume buyer on the day was Butt Farms, Woottating, with its overall purchase of 18 rams to a top of $900, eight times, for an average of $697.
Butt Farms is owned by a foreign entity, with their Woottating property run by farm manager, Phill Brownie.
Mr Brownie said they mate about 2200 Merino ewes to terminal sires.
"I have always been a White Suffolk fan," Mr Brownie said.
"I was impressed with the Pedaga genetics and performance, they do well in our environment."
He said there was so much potential in the lamb market.
"The future definitely looks good for lambs, especially with the prices we have been seeing," Mr Brownie said.
Taking home their own team of 12 rams from the sale was PA & AJ Negus, Dandaragan, to a high of $850 and an average of $733.
Landmark Geraldton bid successfully on a total of 14 sires, to a top price of $650 seven times, for an average of $625.
Chasing the genetics all the way from Bridgetown, was Emu Downs Grazing Company, purchasing a total of five sires to a top price of $850 and an average of $720.
Landmark auctioneer Terry Norrish said the sale went very well with the vast majority of registered buyers also being first time purchasers.
"The sheep were presented very well," Mr Norrish said.
"There was really good competition on the very well selected lots with the top growth figures.
"They were very selective and you could see the better measurements made the higher prices."
Mr Norrish said there was no doubt the seasonal conditions had affected the sale, but the result was still very good.
"I was happy with the competition created, despite the season, there is still money to be made in sheep," he said.
Hosting the sale was Landmark Dandaragan and as a bonus to the purchasers on the day they ran a competition to win one of two 500ml packets, of Virbac's Multi Min Plus Copper injection for sheep.
Retailing for around $300 per 500ml shot, the product is a 4in1 mineral injection specifically for sheep and was a great incentive by Landmark Dandaragan's Andrew Viola.
The first was won by the top priced buyer, Cundarra Pastoral, Lancelin and the second was randomly picked out of the registered buyers numbers and went to Carl Forward, CH & RH Forward, Mingenew.
Mr Crabb said they were very thankful to their buyers for their support of their first on-farm sale and looked forward to next year.
