Kantara ewe sells to record of $4000 at Elite White Suffolk and Suffolk Sale

The fifth annual sale returned to its original home at the Wagin Ram Shed following two years at Williams and saw a top line-up of elite prime lamb sires and ewes featuring the first stage dispersal of the Kantara White Suffolk stud, Dumbleyung, with one of the Kantara ewes selling to what is believed to be a new WA record price of $4000 for a White Suffolk ewe sold at auction.

The inclusion of 108 1.5-year-old ewes significantly increased overall numbers from last year, but ram numbers were well down on last year's sale.

The sale attracted a register of 33 buyers from throughout WA's agricultural areas and was again interfaced on AuctionsPlus.

The online platform had 3154 catalogue views which saw 38 registered bidders logged in from all States, resulting in 19 bids across five lots and two lots selling to local WA buyers.

While crowd numbers were quieter than last year, a number of lots generated spirted bidding battles to see some solid values recorded.

But generally buyers were selective which impacted some clearances.

The Nutrien Livestock and Elders selling teams offered 17 White Suffolk and Suffolk rams from nine vendors with 11 rams (65 per cent) selling under the hammer to average $5373.

This signalled an $1827 drop in average compared to last year's sale where 15 of 39 White Suffolk, Suffolk and Poll Dorset rams (38pc) sold at auction to average $7200.

The Kantara dispersal saw 96 of the 108 ewes (89pc) sell under the hammer to average $591, however the other eight White Suffolk and Suffolk ewes offered from three vendors made for light reading with just two selling under the hammer for a $1050 average.

Last year 20 of the 24 White Suffolk and Suffolk ewes (83pc) sold at auction to average $703.

White Suffolk rams

A line-up of 14 White Suffolk rams kicked off proceedings with 10 rams (71pc) finding new homes at auction to average $5660.

This was back $2363 on last year's sale average of $8023 which included Ida Vale's $29,250 WA record priced ram.

The sale's $9000 top-price honours went to the Ditchburn family's Golden Hill White Suffolk stud, Kukerin, with the stud's thumping team leader in pen five knocked down to return buyers Boree Park White Suffolk stud, Rhodes Pastoral Pty Ltd, Boyup Brook.

The ram was an early June 2020-drop lamb by Kohat 180156 and out of Golden Hill 170014 daughter with figures of 0.41 BWT, 12.76 WWT, 20.39 PWT, 0.38 PFAT, 3.47 PEMD, 156.82 TCP and 147.37 LEQ.

The following Golden Hill ram was purchased by the Utopia White Suffolk stud, Bremer Bay, for $7800.

The homebred ram with grandparents going back to Warburn 160053 and Waratah 150066, recorded data of 0.48 BWT, 12.30 WWT, 19.11 PWT, -0.27 PFAT, 2.70 PEMD, 152.43 TCP and 142.80 LEQ.

The $8400 second top price White Suffolk ram was sold by Brenton Addis, Yonga Downs stud, Gnowangerup, to the Cascade White Suffolk stud, Esperance.

Penned in lot three, the classy mid-June 2020-drop ram was by Yonga Downs 180703 which was purchased by the Booloola stud, Victoria, for $15,500 and out of a Bundarra Downs daughter with figures of 0.41 BWT, 11.8 WWT, 19.1 PWT, 0.2 PFAT, 2.7 PEMD, 151.4 TCP, 145.37 LEQ and 146.9 SRC.

Another Yonga Downs 180703 son in the next pen was snapped up by the Ashbourne White Suffolk stud, Katanning, for $3600.

Following last year's record breaking result, the Ida Vale stud, Kojonup, opened this year's sale with two rams with their second ram selling for the sale's next highest price of $8000 which was also purchased by the Boree stud.

The late May 2020 born ram was by Ashmore 170293 and a Kantara 130030 daughter and displayed figures of 0.19 BWT, 12.9 WWT, 20.9 PWT, 0.4 PFAT, 3.4 PEMD, 20.2 PWEC, 9.1pc NLW, 162.1 TCP, 155.5 LEQ and 157.5 SRC.

Boree Park stud manager Micheal Potter said they have been repeat buyers from the Golden Hill and Ida Vale studs for the past three years.

"The two rams were purchased to go over specific lines of ewes, one for its figures and one for its rapid growth and huge eye muscle," Mr Potter said.

"We have faith the Golden Hill and Ida Vale sheep do the job and have had no reason to go anywhere else.

"And being among the top prices reflects the quality of the two rams."

The Bingham family, Iveston White Suffolk stud, Williams, sold a ram for $5400 to the Four Corners stud, Badgingarra.

The mid-May 2020 born ram was bred strongly on Iveston bloodlines and its grandsire Ella Matta 150097 and recorded data of 0.52 BWT, 11.7 WWT, 17.5 PWT, 0.3 PFAT, 2.7 PEMD, 20.2 PWEC, 5.2pc NLW, 151.3 TCP, 147.4 LEQ and 147.9 SRC.

Buyer Michael Collard said it was the first Iveston ram he had purchased, providing an outcross to his 2017 registered stud based on Kiara, Blackbutt and Stockdale bloodlines.

He said the Iveston ram was easy doing with plenty of meat and would be used over half of the 100 registered stud ewes in mid-December where he breeds flock rams for onfarm sales.

A WA buyer on AuctionsPlus paid $4000 for a ram from the Cole family's SASIMWA stud, York.

The May 19, 2020-born ram sired by a Matilda Downs 130566 son was the champion White Suffolk ram at this year's Wagin Woolorama and displayed figures of 0.36 BWT, 9.4 WWT, 13.8 PWT, -0.6 PFAT, 1.0 PEMD, 132.8 TCP, 126.3 LEQ and 132.3 SRC.

The Hyde family, Kohat stud, Ongerup, sold a Somerset 160067 son to a Nutrien Livestock, Williams, account for $3600 with figures of 0.39 BWT, 12.4 WWT, 20.38 PWT, 0.45 PFAT, 3.43 PEMD, 4.47 LMY, -0.85 IMF and 162.72 TCP.

Another online WA buyer snapped up a Kiara College ram for $1800 with the late April 2020-drop Woolumbool son recording data of 0.37 BWT, 11.4 WWT, 17.8 PWT, -0.3 PFAT, 1.9 PEMD, -54.5 PWEC, 10.2pc NLW, 149.8 TCP, 154.8 LEQ and 148.8 SRC.

Suffolk rams

Just one of the three Suffolk rams catalogued sold at auction for $2500 compared to last year's sale where only two of six rams sold for a strong $6625 average.

The $2500 ram from the Mitsopoulos family's, Kalinda stud, Boyanup, was purchased by Nathan Willmott, AM & TL Willmott, Tambellup.

The ram was an early July 2020-drop son of Jusak 177085 and out of a Glencraig 150449 daughter with figures of 0.64 BWT, 10.2 WWT, 15 PWT, -0.4 PFAT, 0.9 PEMD and 132.7 TCP.

Mr Willmott said they have been breeding their own Suffolk flock rams for about six years from a nucleus flock of Suffolk ewes to use commercially over Merino ewes for prime lamb production.

He said the Kalinda ram presented and stood well and backed it up with its performance figures.

While initially overlooked at auction, a Karinya Suffolk ram was sold following the sale for $3000 to the Maiolo family, Rocky Ridge Suffolk stud, Narrogin.

White Suffolk ewes

In total 114 White Suffolk ewes were offered at the sale with 98 ewes (86pc) sold at auction for an average of $600 which included the Kantara dispersal.

Excluding the dispersal, two of six White Suffolk ewes offered by three vendors were sold by the Kohat stud for a $1050 average.

In comparison, last year's sale saw 18 of 20 White Suffolk ewes (90pc) sell under the hammer for an average of $733.

The Kintara dispersal of 108 ewes rounded out the sale and 107 lots later, the new WA record price of $4000 was paid for the final ewe offered by Josh Addis, Kalagan White Suffolk stud, Denmark.

Mr Addis collected six Kintara ewes at the sale and said he was after ewes of good type with figures above their own flock average.

"The Kintara dispersal was a good opportunity to select from a big lineup of good honest young ewes," Mr Addis said.

"They were a very even line of paddock run ewes, what you see is what you get and a credit to Keith Ladyman.

"You could buy with confidence."

Mr Addis said the record priced ewe by Woolumbool 185370 and a Anden 140301 daughter was well balanced with a solid pedigree and had great LambPlan figures of 0.38 BWT, 10.08 WWT, 17.26 PWT, 0.66 PFAT, 3.41 PEMD, 150.46 TCP and 3.64 LMY.

But by far the most influential buyer of Kintara ewes was Roy Addis, Nutrien Livestock Breeding, who filled an order of 60 ewes at $500 each for the Ledwith family's Kolindale White Suffolk stud, Dudinin.

Another volume buyer was Scott Jefferis, Nutrien Livestock, Dumbleyung, who collected 15 ewes on behalf of the Sutherland family's Sandown White Suffolk stud, Perenjori, paying from $500 to $550.

Some other higher priced Kantara ewes included the Venturon White Suffolk stud, Boyup Brook, who paid to $1700 for one of two ewes and the Golden Hill stud paid $1300 and $1250 among their three ewes.

Kohat stud was the only other stud to sell ewes at auction with the Kalagan stud paying their $1300 top price for a Warburn 160048 daughter measuring 0.5 BWT, 11.5 WWT, 19 PWT, -0.37 PFAT, 2.6 PEMD, 154 TCP.