THE Mount Ronan stud notched up an outstanding result at its annual online summer ram sale last Friday.
In the stud's sixth sale of its kind, the Bowen family, York, presented a top catalogue of 75 Maternal and White Suffolk sires which generated strong demand and competition from online buyers throughout the country.
The sale was online only, interfaced sequentially on the AuctionsPlus selling platform, attracting 769 catalogue views and 29 registered bidders who logged in from WA, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania,in addition to 29 guest viewers who viewed the auction.
At the completion of selling, 582 online bids were placed throughout the auction and the Mount Ronan and Elders Stud Stock teams had recorded a near total clearance (99 per cent), with all but one ram selling at auction for an overall average of $1545.
This was a significant improvement in clearance and average compared to last year's sale where 31 of 60 Maternal and White Suffolk rams (52pc) sold at auction for an average of $823, hampered by tough seasonal conditions.
Broken down, all 47 Maternal sires sold at auction for an average of $1698, up by $910 in average on last year where 13 of 30 rams (43pc) sold to average $788.
In the White Suffolk line-up, 27 of the 28 rams found new homes to average $1278, up $431 on last year where 18 of 30 rams (60pc) sold to average $847.
Mt Ronan stud principal Guy Bowen said he was very pleased with the result of the sale.
"It was wonderful to see new buyers operating and regular purchasers demonstrating such confidence in the performance of Mount Ronan genetics," Mr Bowen said.
"The Mount Ronan summer sale is definitely now a permanent fixture on our calendar."
Victorian buyer AK O'Halloran, Horsham, returned to again pay the sale's $2500 top price for one of three Maternal rams purchased at the sale.
Their top bid was reserved for lot 41 containing an early July, 2020-twin drop son of Mount Ronan 190018 with a dam efficiency of 128.3pc and LambPlan performance figures of BWT 0.48, WWT 8.3, PWWT 12.2, AWT 12.3, PFAT -0.5 , PEMD 2.6 (top 5pc), NLW -1.5pc and MCP+ 136.5.
Arkle Farms Pty Ltd, Munglinup, paid solid prices for a team of seven Maternal rams including the sale's $2300 second top price twice.
These bids went to lot 22, a late July 2020 twin-drop son of Mount Ronan 190071 and 134.4pc dam efficiency with figures of BWT 0.54, WWT 8.7, PWWT 13.6, AWT 14.5, PFAT 0.0 (top 20pc), PEMD 1.7 (top 20pc), NLW 10pc, PFEC -6 , YGFW -20.5, YFD -0.2 and MCP+ 143.3.
And lot 35, another Mount Ronan 190018 twin born son in early August 2020 with a dam of efficiency of 126.3pc and figures of BWT 0.49, WWT 8.7, PWWT 13.1, AWT 12.3, PFAT -1.0 , PEMD 2.0 (top 20pc), NLW -0.1pc and MCP+ 139.5.
With a large team of 25 Maternal rams to their account costing anywhere from $900 through the next highest price of $2200, Mt Barker operation Mackie Farms was the sale's most influential buyer.
They bid their top price twice, collecting a triplet born son of Mount Ronan 190260 with a dam efficiency of 166pc and top 10pc ranking for WWT 10.1 and top 20pc for PWWT 14.9 and PEMD 1.8 and a twin born son of Mount Ronan 190260 with a dam efficiency of 165.2pc and ranking in the top 20pc for PEMD 1.8.
South Australian producers PF, DM, RN Watson & Others, Wirrulla, secured three Maternal rams and also paid to $2200 for a mid-July 2020 twin born son of Mount Ronan 180052.
Kojonup outfit and return buyer Fairbanks Farming paid the sale's $1800 top price for a White Suffolk ram which they included in their team of three Maternal and four White Suffolk rams.
The top-priced ram was a high ranking mid-July 2020 twin-born son of Felix 151229 with a dam efficiency of 135.3pc and performance figures of BWT 0.60, WWT 12.5 (top 5pc), PWWT 20.2 (top 5pc), PFAT 0.4 (top 5pc), PEMD 2.9 (top 10pc), NLW 11pc (top 5pc), PFEC -27, IMF -0.30, SHRF5 -0.4 (top 10pc), TCP 161.2 (top 5pc) and LEQ 159 (top 5pc).
An Elders account totalled 10 White Suffolk rams and a single Maternal ram, while return buyer TJ & BM Zadow, Kojonup and WI Wurri Farms, Wandillip, each secured five White Suffolk rams with both teams costing to $1600.