IT was the case of another successful sale for Golden Hill White Suffolk stud, North Kukerin, with a complete clearance and a very healthy top price of $4100.
In what is fast becoming a trend this ram selling season, there is strong demand for the White Suffolk breed and the Golden Hill rams were certainly sought after by the 26 registered buyers, who were in the shed early to select their chosen sires, with 24 buyers being successful in their bids.
This year there was the notable absence of the Golden Hill Merino and Poll Merino rams, but stud co-principal Nathan Ditchburn said they had made the decision to not include the Merinos due to the seasonal conditions and the reduced number of ewes, meaning there would be a few regular buyers who were not in the market this year.
A total offering of 119 White Suffolk rams saw a complete clearance, for a top price that exceeded the 2019 top by a huge $1100, with an average price of $1192 being very similar to last year.
Buyers were keen from the outset with lot two achieving the $4100 top price, up by $1100 from last year's White Suffolk top price.
The ram was born on June 9, 2019 as a single lamb and tipped the scales at 125 kilograms, with Australian standard breeding values (ASBVs) of 0.46 birth weight (BWT), 11.01 weaning weight (WWT) 17.14 post weaning weight (PWWT), 2.18 eye muscle depth (EMD), -0.41 post weaning fat (PFAT) and an impressive terminal carcase production index (TCP) of 154.81.
The winning bid on the sire went to Michael Potter, Rhodes Pastoral Pty Ltd, Boyup Brook, as their sole purchase for the sale.
Mr Potter said they operate the Boree White Suffolk stud, Boyup Brook, which has been registered for five years.
He said they had attended the sale to specifically purchase the sire.
"We wanted this particular sire because we had purchased his brother two years ago," Mr Potter said.
"We are keen to use him alongside his brother and want to utilise them over a larger number of ewes.
"We already have his brother's progeny on the ground and really like the bloodline, so we want to continue along those lines.
"We purchased another Golden Hill sire from the Elite sale a few weeks ago and also one from the Elite sale last year."
The $3000 second top-priced sire of the sale impressed another stud breeder, Chris Squiers, Shirlee Downs and Dongadilling stud, Quairading.
Born a twin on May 10, 2019, the sire weighed 114kg and its ASBV figures were 0.38 BWT, 101.48 WWT, 17.60 PWT, 2.08 PEMD, -0.41 PFAT and 148.42 TCP.
Shirlee Downs and Dongadilling co-principal Sascha Squiers said they had actually gone to view another sire, but were more impressed with this ram.
"We saw the ram sold at Williams and decided to attend the sale to check them out," Mr Squiers said.
"This ram had better figures and overall structure than the original ram we were looking at.
"We purchased it as a new bloodline to put into our stud."
The overall volume purchaser of the day was Elders, with stud stock specialist Michael O'Neill purchasing 13 rams on behalf of several clients, to a top of $2500 and for an average of $746.
Speaking of volume buyers, there were several high volume clients throughout the catalogue, with Kevin O'Brien, Kov & Co, Pingelly, purchasing a ute and trailer load of 12 rams, to a top of $1700 and for an average of $1308.
Mr O'Brien said he had been buying at the Golden Hill sale for three years.
"They are good doers," he said.
"They are really well put together sheep and the breeders are very trustworthy and genuine.
"The rams have good eye muscle, they are a good length and stand well."
Also purchasing a total of 12 sires was return volume buyer Michael Altus, HT & BA Altus, Broomehill.
Mr Altus said they had also been purchasing from Golden Hill for around three years and utilised the sires over Merino ewes for crossbred lamb production.
"We are really happy with the lambs on the ground," Mr Altus said.
"The rams here are really good value for money."
He bought to a top of $1600 and an average of $983.
Stephen James, FS & KM James, Hyden, followed closely behind with his purchase of 11 rams, to a top of $1600 and a $1027 average.
Mr James said in their fourth year of buying they were down slightly on numbers from the 18 they took home in 2019 and 16 in 2018.
"The sires go over our breeding flock of 4800 F1 SAMM ewes," Mr James said.
"We like the Golden Hill White Suffolks for their quick growth and ease of lambing.
"We are mainly interested in the structure and width, with some fat.
"We are putting them over good sized ewes, with big frames, so the rams need to have good depth and good width.
"With the fertility of the FI SAMM ewes and these White Suffolk sires we have achieved a lambing percentage of 110 per cent last year across our entire flock."
Buying a total of eight rams to a top of $2000 and an average of $1438, was G & T Taylor, Kukerin, while GC & V Ball took home seven to a top of $1900 twice, averaging $1614.
Elders auctioneer Preston Clarke said when he was speaking to the buyers prior to the sale starting they had been commenting it was the best yarding they had seen at Golden Hill in regards to the White Suffolk breed.
"They certainly backed their opinions up with their purchasing today," Mr Clarke said.
"When they saw the sire they liked, four or five hands shot up, the competition was strong.
"Given the seasonal conditions this year and the general mindset, I think it was a sale that exceeded expectations and was a fantastic result for the vendors.
"It was very deserving for a very good line up of rams."
