THE Golden Hill White Suffolk stud continues to grow in stature following another rewarding result at the stud's annual on-property ram sale at North Kukerin earlier this month.
The Ditchburn family catalogued an outstanding team of 140 well-bred and grown White Suffolk rams, reflecting the stud's continued investment in leading genetics sourced from throughout the country with the evenness and depth of the sale team drawing plenty of positive comments pre-sale.
Golden Hill's growing following saw an increased register of 30 buyers with the stud's loyal clients returning in numbers who were joined by some new faces at the sale.
Golden Hill stud principal Nathan Ditchburn said they received some late fresh enquiry following the Newdegate Machinery Field Days the week prior to the sale and made the decision to expand their initial advertised numbers from 120 to 140 rams.
It proved to be a wise move.
Enjoying selecting from an extensive sale team and buoyed by strong sheep and lamb meat markets with widespread favourable seasonal conditions, prime lamb producers bid spiritedly throughout to easily clear the sale team at auction at improved values.
At sales end, the Elders selling team led by auctioneer Preston Clarke, recorded an average of $1389 with prices reaching a top of $5000.
This was $197 stronger than last year's sale average where all 119 rams sold for an $1192 average with the sale's gross returns up $52,600 to $194,400.
The sale kicked off with four rams prepared for Golden Hill's 2021 show team.
Return stud buyer Brian Burrows, Yaminga White Suffolk stud, Borden, outlasted Michael O'Neill, Elders stud stock, to bid the sale's $5000 top price for a new stud sire penned in lot two.
The powerful well-built ram tipped the scales at 149kg when the sale team was weighed nine days prior to the sale.
The twin late May 2020-born ram was sired by Kohat 180156 (by Bundarra Downs 122026) and out of a Codji ewe 160778, displayed LambPlan ASBVs of 0.51 BWT, 13 WWT, 20.2 PWT, 2.7 PEMD, 0.1 PFAT, 148.7 TCP index.
Yaminga stud adviser John Banks, formerly of Banksia Plains stud, said the ram was very good value for money and would have easily made five figures at some Eastern States' sales.
"I've been buying stud rams for 40 years and this ram was very difficult to fault," Mr Banks said.
"Its whole structure - stood well on its pins, good head and rear-end.
"And he had good figures, they must be positive fat and he had very good eye muscle."
Mr O'Neill had previously paid the sale's $3100 second top price for the stretchy team leader on behalf of the Collard family's Four Corners White Suffolk stud, Badgingarra.
The 136kg mid-May born ram was by Golden Hill parents with pedigree going back to grandsires Warburn 160053 and Waratah 150066 and recorded ASBVs of 0.55 BWT, 12.8 WWT, 20.7 PWT, 2.3 PEMD, -0.5 PFAT and 155.1 TCP.
He also paid $2400 for the 143kg early June drop Kohat 180156 son in lot three for Mingenew buyers Undaminda.
PW & LF Adams, Kukerin, bid up on their selections paying the sale's next highest price of $2800 and $2500 for two rams with their top bid going to the paddock run sale team leader.
The twin early June-drop ram weighed 135kg and displayed ASBVs of 0.55 BWT, 13.1 WWT, 20.9 PWT, 2.1 PEMD, -0.5 PFAT and 154 TCP.
Elders Lake Grace/Dumbleyung agent Graeme Taylor demonstrated the depth of the catalogue with a $2400 bid for lot 114, selected from the line-up of 35 rams not LambPlan recorded to top the account of nine rams for Krool Holdings, Kukerin.
The 104kg June-July-drop ram scanned raw data of 52kg WWT, 68kg PWT, 34mm PEMD and 2.3mm PFAT.
While there were plenty of buyers prepared to pay strong commercial values for their replacement terminal sires, there were numerous volume buyers who underpinned the sale.
Sharing volume status with 16 rams each was return clients FS & KM James, Hyden and Tarin Rock (WA) Pty Ltd, Tarin Rock, which have been supporting the Golden Hill stud since the introduction of the White Suffolks.
The James family paid from $1000 to $1600 for their team which will go into the battery to the operation's significant first cross SAMM ewe flock bred from Merino ewe replacements and Tiarri SAMM rams with 40 per cent of the flock lambing from April 10 and the balance in May.
Frank James said they aimed to turn-off between 70 and 80pc of the lambs as suckers averaging 25 kilograms dressed or better and carry the balance through until February/March.
"Lambs sold straight off their mother is the most profitable," Mr James said.
"Last year we averaged 26kg dressed for every lamb that was sold in the spring.
"With the reasonable season, the lambs are going a bit earlier this year with the first draft turned off next week."
The James family also runs a Murray Grey breeding herd and Mr James said they liked to source their rams and bulls locally as they were more suited to the area.
"Livestock bred in the Wheatbelt area are going to be hardier being a similar climate," he said.
Ross Robinson and Daniel Gooding, Tarin Rock (WA) Pty Ltd, outlaid from $900 to $1300 for their team of 16 rams.
Mr Gooding said they used terminal sires over Merino ewe hoggets for their maiden lambing as an 'introduction to motherhood.'
"They go well over the hoggets, the lambs are up and about and we have found it makes the ewes better mothers going forward," he said.
The rams will go in with the ewes in late January with the operation aiming to turn the majority off as suckers ranging from 22 to 25kg dressed from September 20 with the balance sold to feeder buyers.
Mr Gooding said they selected for low birthweight for the hogget joining and praised the line-up of Golden Hill rams.
"It's an even group to select from - they invest a lot in genetics and are being rewarded for their efforts," he said.
Other buyers to put together larger numbers of rams included new buyer Australian Food & Farming, Pingrup, with 11 rams costing from $900 to $1200 and GC & VJ Ball, Wagin, finished the sale with 10 rams to a $1900 top for three and a healthy average of $1570.
Gordon Smith, representing John Scott & Son, Wagin, also paid stronger values for seven rams paying to $2300 at an average of $1814 and Elders stud stock manager Tim Spicer also secured seven rams for return buyer of numbers Kov & Co, Pingelly, paying from $1000 to $1600.
With accounts totalling six rams each were GS Bolt & Son, Woodanilling and Mr Taylor filling an order for Newdegate operation The Farming Co Pty Ltd, while Hacienda De Trigo, Corrigin and Matlock Farms Pty Ltd, Boddington, through the bidding of Mark Edwards, Albany, each purchased five rams.