A NEW $29,250 WA State record top-price for a White Suffolk ram headlined results at the WA Elite White Suffolk, Suffolk and Poll Dorset sale at Williams on Monday.
The fourth annual sale and second at its new home at the Williams Sportsground since making the move last year, attracted a big crowd to view a top catalogue of leading WA prime lamb sire and maternal genetics.
The sale welcomed Poll Dorsets into the sale for the first time this year and another first was the interfacing on AuctionsPlus, providing additional competition to the 42 registered local and interstate buyers.
The online platform had 2938 catalogue views which saw 63 registered bidders from all States and Territories (excluding Northern Territory) logged onto the sale, resulting in 68 bids across eight lots and three lots selling to South Australian and Victorian buyers.
While there were some strong prices paid, buyers were selective which led to a mixed bag of results.
Nutrien Livestock and Elders combined to sell 15 of the larger offering of 39 White Suffolk, Suffolk and Poll Dorset rams (38 per cent) to average $7200.
This marked an $842 jump in average compared to last year's sale where 12 of 23 White Suffolk and Suffolk rams (52pc) sold to average $6358.
Clearances improved on the line-up of 24 White Suffolk and Suffolk ewes which saw 20 ewes (83pc) sell at auction to average $703, down $40 on average compared to last year where 15 of 27 mostly White Suffolk ewes (56pc) sold under the hammer to average $743.
Following strong pre-sale enquiry, the impressive Ida Vale White Suffolk ram 19-4051 penned in lot 17 was brought forward to open the sale.
And it didn't disappoint.
An opening bid of $9000 got the ball rolling on a bidding marathon for Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Mark Warren where three players battled it out to the end before the record final bid of $29,250 was placed by Nutrien Livestock Breeding representative Roy Addis, buying on behalf of an Eastern States' syndicate involving the Booloola, Victoria, Charinga, Victoria and Induro, New South Wales, White Suffolk studs.
The late May 2019-drop ram was by South Australian sire Ashmore 17-293 and out of a Farrer (NSW) sired Ida Vale daughter 15-4386 and displayed LambPlan figures in the catalogue of 0.25 BWT, 12.3 WWT, 19.6 PWT, -0.1 PFAT, 2.6 PEMD and 153.6 TCP.
Speaking on behalf of the syndicate Shane Baker, Booloola stud, Baringhup, Victoria, said due to travel restrictions they couldn't get to the sale to see the ram in the flesh, but the ram's strong breeding and recommendations from astute judges encouraged the group to pay top money.
"We knew his pedigree background which is an outcross for the White Suffolk breed," Mr Baker said.
"We relied on a couple of people to look at him for us and the combination of his conformation and breeding gave us the confidence to pay this sought of money for him."
Mr Baker said the ram is due to arrive at the AI Centre in Jerilderie, NSW, today (August 27).
White Suffolk rams
The sale opening line-up of 24 White Suffolk rams saw 11 (46pc) sell at auction to average $8023 and top the sale's breed average stakes which were significantly boosted with the record priced ram.
Last year 12 of 18 White Suffolk rams (67pc) sold for an average of $6358.
The catalogued lot one ram offered by the Yonga Downs stud, Gnowangerup, sold for the sale's $10,000 second top price to the Kalagan White Suffolk stud, Denmark.
The ram 19-384 was AI-bred by Booloola 93 and displayed performance figures of 0.19 BWT, 10.66 WWT, 17.85 PWT, 0.32 PFAT, 3.08 PEMD and 150.6 TCP.
Buyer Josh Addis said the ram introduced a new bloodline to the Kalagan stud and would be used naturally and in AI programs.
"Length and muscle with balanced figures to match," Mr Addis said.
"He is a balanced, all-purpose type ram that could go over anything."
Yonga Downs also sold a ram for $4500 to SR & BT Brown, Nannup.
Ida Vale's half brother to the record-priced ram sold for the $9500 third top price to Mitch Clarke, Elders Merredin, who was managing the AuctionsPlus activity at the sale.
The late May 2019-drop ram recorded LambPlan figures of 0.40 BWT, 14.1 WWT, 21.8 PWT, -0.5 PFAT, 2.1 PEMD and 159.3 TCP.
The next highest price of $8250 was paid by Rhodes Pastoral Pty Ltd, Boree Park White Suffolk stud, Boyup Brook, for the second ram offered by the Golden Hill stud, Kukerin.
The ram was a twin born May 10, 2019, sired by Ashbourne 17-897 and out of a Anden 14-298 daughter and displayed figures of 0.36 BWT, 11.13 WWT, 19.14 PWT, -0.47 PFAT, 2.55 PEMD and 155.7 TCP.
Rhodes Pastoral Pty Ltd farm manager Michael Wright said it was the second sire they had purchased from the Golden Hill stud and would help join their 200 stud White Suffolk ewes to breed flock rams for their own use over surplus Merino ewes.
"He is a lean meat machine, perfect for our operation," Mr Wright said.
"We liked his structure at the right length and depth with good muscle and low birthweight."
The other Golden Hill ram offered sold for $6250 to BW & DA Burrows, Borden.
The Jusak stud, Newdegate, offered two White Suffolk rams at the sale with the Iveston stud, Williams, paying $5000 for a Felix 17-0842 son recording 0.38 BWT, 11.96 WWT, 19.54 PWT, -0.26 PFAT, 2.46 PEMD and 158 TCP, while Jusak's other ram was purchased by the Brown family for $3500.
The Kohat stud, Ongerup, sold their two White Suffolk rams at the sale with Paringa Park, Boyup Brook, paying $4500 for one and Winnejup Grazing Trust, Winnejup, collecting the other for $4000.
The Iveston stud sold a ram for $3500 to Peter Moore, Nutrien Livestock Williams, while the Sherwood stud, Kojonup, sold a ram following the sale for $5500 to a Hyden buyer.
Poll Dorset rams
The team of Poll Dorset rams found the going a little tough for their first appearance at the sale with only two of nine rams finding new homes at auction.
The Curlew Creek stud, Gnowangerup, sold one of their two rams to Jeff Pyle & Co, Albany, at the stud's $3500 top price for an AI-bred son of Bundarra Downs 180 with performance data of 0.53 BWT, 13.2 WWT, 20 PWT, -0.4 PFAT, 4.1 PEMD and 161.5 TCP.
Curlew Creek's other ram was purchased by the Denroy stud, Darkan, for $3000.
Suffolk rams
Buyers were selective but bid strongly on two of the six Suffolk rams to sell at auction to average $6625 and improve on last year's disappointing sale.
The $6750 top price was paid by Nutrien Livestock Williams agent Ben Kealy, representing young Suffolk breeder Ashley Maiolo, Rocky Ridge Suffolk stud, Narrogin, for a new sire from the Kalinda stud, Boyanup.
The ram was by homebred parents with the sire a son of Rouken Glen 13-10 and out of an Oakwood 15-5147 daughter with LambPlan data of 0.48 BWT, 9.06 WWT, 14.08 PWT, -0.21 PFAT, 0.77 PEMD and 134.2 TCP.
Ms Maiolo said the ram provided some fresh bloodlines and suited the breeding direction of her young Rocky Ridge stud.
"Genetics wise the ram stacks up and he is a long stretchy ram," Ms Maiolo said.
The Jusak stud was one bid shy of top money with an AuctionsPlus buyer paying $6500 for a son of Pamellen 17-3 and out of Karinya daughter that displayed LambPlan figures of 0.40 BWT, 10.71 WWT, 16.31 PWT, -0.12 PFAT, 1.57 PEMD and 142.14 TCP.
The Kirrie stud, Williams, sold a ram following the sale to a buyer operating on AuctionsPlus for $4000.
Suffolk ewes
A small offering of four Suffolk ewes saw two ewes from the Kirrie stud sell to new homes at auction for an average of $425.
Gold Creek Farm, Boddington, paid $450 for a daughter of Curlew Valley 16-6040 and Lynburn 13-24 with performance figures of 0.38 BWT, 6.34 WWT, 9.64 PWT, -0.63 PFAT, 1.11 PEMD and 129.1 TCP.
The other Kirrie ewe was purchased by AuctionsPlus for $400.
White Suffolk ewes
Rounding out the sale was a line-up of White Suffolk ewes that attracted good buying support to record a solid clearance.
At the completion of selling, 18 of the 20 ewes (90pc) had sold under the hammer for an average of $733.
In comparison in last year's sale, 15 of 25 White Suffolk ewes (60pc) sold at auction to average $743.
Topping the sale's ewe values was the Ashbourne stud, Katanning, with two of their four ewes selling to TS Duffield, Hamley Bridge, South Australia, for $2050 and $1500 through Nutrien Livestock Pingelly agent Chris Turton.
Both ewes were sired by Woolumbool 17-3980 and out of Bundarra Downs 12-2261 daughters with the top-priced ewe recording LambPlan figures of 0.43 BWT, 12.41 WWT, 19.69 PWT, 0.27 PFAT, 2.72 PEMD and 160.2 TCP.
Mr Turton said the buyer was starting a new White Suffolk stud and saw the videos of the ewes on AuctionsPlus and made contact with a mutual agent in South Australia.
He said the ewes were the pick of the bunch.
"They stand well and are very true to the White Suffolk breed and the buyer particularly liked the ewes for their figures and TCP," Mr Turton said.
The Kohat stud offered and sold all seven of their White Suffolk ewes for an average of $693.
Volume buyer of the White Suffolk ewes Place Ventures secured all bar one of the Kohat ewes, paying from $500 to a $1000 top price for a strongly Kohat bred ewe with figures of 0.32 BWT, 10.8 WWT, 16.86 PWT, 0.15 PFAT, 2.16 PEMD and 142 TCP.
Kiara College, Lockridge, also offered and sold seven White Suffolk ewes for an average of $571.
Place Ventures snapped up four of the Kiara ewes and paid the stud's $750 top price for a Wheetlande 14-8181 daughter with 0.51 BWT, 10.47 WWT, 15.93 PWT, -1.20 PFAT, 0.72 PEMD and 137 TCP.
RT & BR Simpson, Quairading, picked up two Kiara ewes and a Ashbourne ewe and RJ & LJ Bassett, Brookton, purchased a Kohat ewe and a Kiara ewe.