THE 10th annual on-property sale for the Cheetara stud was certainly an occasion to remember.
The South Kumminin-based Cheetham family achieved a total clearance, selling all 237 head of rams penned for sale at an average of $1345, up $173 on the 2021 average and the total gross $98,250 more than last year.
The offering, 38 more head than in 2021, meant that the 56 registered buyers could easily find rams to meet their requirements, with an impressively even line-up across the five breeds presented, including Cheetara UltraWhites for the first time.
It was also the first sale held in what will eventually become part of the stud's new shearing shed and yards, with the structure having only been put up in the days before.
The good rainfall in the area was also evident with plenty of muddy ground underfoot, which undoubtedly had buyers in a positive frame of mind as Elders auctioneer Steele Hathway conducted the sale.
Once again it was a White Suffolk that attracted the stud's top price of the day, which this year was $3300, down slightly on last year's top of $4200, and was paid by Warranine Park Pty Ltd, Brookton.
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The big 119.5kg June 2021-drop ram had scan data of 47mm eye muscle depth (EMD) and 6.5mm fat, while its September ASBVs included of 0.40 birthweight (BWT), 10.7 weaning weight (WWT), 16.8 post weaning weight (PWWT), -0.8 post weaning fat (PFAT), 1.7 post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD) and 146.9 TCP index.
The ram was one of three White Suffolk rams selected by Ellen Walker, who paid $2500 and $1900 for the others and was looking to top up on the breed after making her first purchases from the stud last year.
"I was looking for rams that had a low birth weight, high weaning weight and plenty of muscle," Ms Walker said.
She will use the rams to put over her older Merino ewes for crossbred lambs.
White Suffolk
The White Suffolk offering was 152 head this year, slightly bigger than the 129 offered in 2021 and by far the volume breed offered by Nick and Gina Cheetham, of which all sold at an average of $1270, an increase of $43 year-on-year.
Demand was spread across 30 different registered buyers, with return buyers Rockdale Farming Co, Muntadgin, buying 13 rams at an average of $2008.
This included paying to a top of $3100 for a 124kg June 2021-drop Anden 45-sired ram with scan data of 51.3mm EMD and 8.3mm fat, along with ASBVs of 0.40 BWT, 11 WWT, 17.2 PWWT, -0.7 PFAT, 1.6 PEMD and 144.5 TCP.
Brendan Maher said the rams would be used over their 2000 head of older Merino ewes.
"We've been using Cheetara White Suffolk's for the last five years and have seen really good results with quick-maturing lambs," Mr Maher said.
"We target the length of body in the rams, ones with a torpedo shape for easier lambing for the Merino ewes."
A further 11 White Suffolks were purchased by Jandacross Pty Ltd at an average of $832, while four buyers snapped up 10 rams each - Neild Farming, Hyden at an average of $1380; AWN Esperance at an average of $1250; TF & JM Robinson Pty Ltd, York, at an average of $845; and SD & MT Lucchesi, Kulin, at an average of $1160.
Michael Lucchesi, who also bought four Poll Dorset rams at an average of $850 per head, said he was looking for big, good growing rams to mate with his 3500 head Merino ewe flock and produce good even lambs.
"We have been buying from Cheetara for about five years, and we always buy a mix of Poll Dorsets and White Suffolks," Mr Lucchesi said.
"I choose them on their look as well as on good figures."
Black Stump Farming, Muntadgin, paid an average of $1122 and to a top of $1700 for its nine White Suffolks, while Colestan Electrics, Narembeen paid an average of $963 for eight rams.
Macclesfield Farms, Morawa and AM & CM Garbin, Bruce Rock, each selected six rams at an average of $1933 and $1108 respectively, while Stratford & Sons, Wyalkatchem and KJ Wittwer & Co, Corrigin each bought five rams at $2100 and $1500 respectively.
Five buyers snapped up four rams each - Thominin Farms Pty Ltd, Narembeen at an average of $1263; J & C Currie, Narembeen at an average of $863; Benjamin Hunter, Narembeen at an average of $925; Kennedys of Narembeen at an average of $850; and WJ & RG Lee, Nungarin at an average of $750.
UltraWhite
The sale got underway with the first offering of 17 Cheetara UltraWhite rams, two big 2021-drop rams followed by 15 2022-drop ram lambs.
The top price for the rams was $3200 and was paid by Clint Butler, trading as
K & S Butler, Narembeen, for Pen 1, a big 108kg ram sired by Anden UltraWhites 1882 boasting scan data including 43.7mm EMD and 7.6mm fat, and with ASBVs including -0.24 BWT, 7.8 WWT, 11.7 PWWT, 0.5 PFAT, 2.4 PEMD and 140 TCP.
He also bought a ram lamb at $2300, with ASBVs of -0.16 BWT, 7.2 WWT, 10.6 PWWT, 1.1 PFAT, 2 PEMD and 131.4 TCP.
Mr Butler said the rams, along with the two Composite UltraWhite he also bought, would be used over his 150 head of Kojak UltraWhite ewes.
"It is something I am playing around with at the moment, because they don't require shearing or crutching so they are not as labour intensive as a breed," Mr Butler said.
"I also want to support Nick, he's putting so much work into his genetics, it's a credit to him."
Mr Butler also bought two White Suffolk rams, which he will use along with Poll Dorset rams over his 1200 head Merino ewe flock to produce F1 lambs.
The top-priced and volume buyer of the ram lambs was Waitavalo Farms, Narembeen, who bought six of the Hillcroft Farms 808 sired April-drop lambs at an average of $2567 and to a top of $3100.
The top-priced lamb had ASBVs including -0.21 BWT, 6.5 WWT, 9.8 PWWT, 1.7 PFAT, 2.5 PEMD and 130.8 TCP.
Brad Hall said he, and brothers Peter and Owen, had been buying Hillcroft Farms UltraWhite rams for the three years prior, and so they were keen to acquire the ram lambs from the same breeding.
"They grow well, and being lambs we'll get an extra year out of them," Mr Hall said.
Also buying four of the ram lambs on behalf of a client was AWN Esperance livestock specialist Tony Douglass, at an average of $2375 and to a top of $2500 twice.
Composite UltraWhite
Strong interest in the shedding breeds continued as 28 rams were offered from the Cheetara Composite UltraWhite 2021 drop, all of which sold at an average of $1421 and to a top of $2100.
The top price was again paid by top-priced UltraWhite buyer Clint Butler, trading as K & S Butler, Narembeen, and was for an 85.5kg with scan data of 41.5mm EMD and 6.7mm fat, and ASBVs of -0.07 BWT, 7.4 WWT, 11.8 PWWT, 0.4 PFAT, 2.4 PEMD and 135.1 TCP.
Mr Butler also bought a second ram for $2000.
Of the 28-head Composite UltraWhite offering, 15 were snapped up by Nutrien Livestock representative Craig Walker on behalf of Quobba Station, taking their total to 16 head after also purchasing an UltraWhite ram lamb.
The 15 head were bought at an average of $1273 and to a top of $1900 for a 118.5kg ram with scan data of 49.3mm EMD and 7.6mm fat, along with ASBVs of 0.07 BWT, 6.7 WWT, 10.2 PWWT, -0.6 PFAT, 0.7 PEMD and 127 TCP.
Mr Douglass was again busy, buying four rams for another client at an average of $1700, while RA & MK Miolini, Narembeen, also bought four rams at an average of $1775.
Poll Dorset
A smaller offering of 10 head of 2021 drop rams were all sold to a top of $1000 and at an average of $740 per head, down from $921 last year.
The top price was paid by Michael Lucchesi for a 114kg ram with ASBVs including 0.36 BWT, 9.4 WWT, 13.5 PWWT, -0.8 PFAT, 1.3 PEMD and 137.1 TCP.
It was one of four selected by Mr Lucchesi at an average of $850 per head, and made up a portion of his total haul of 14 rams for the afternoon, the remainder of which were White Suffolks.
Also buying four of the Gooramma 678-sired Poll Dorset rams was GM Vaughan, Narembeen, who paid an average of $650 per head.
Suffolk
The fifth and final breed on offer was the Suffolk, with 30 head all sold at an average of $1205 and to a top of $2400.
The winning bidder on the Kerangie 465 sired 107kg top-priced ram, with 45.5mm EMD and 8.7mm fat, and ASBVs of 0.59 BWT, 9.8 WWT, 14.8 PWWT, 0.1 PFAT, 1.7 PEMD and 132.1 TCP was Mr Douglass, who bought it on behalf of Esperance client JW Forrest.
He bought another two rams for the same client, for $2000 and $1000 respectively.
Volume buyer of the Suffolk rams was MM & HE Granich, Moorine Rock, who bought six rams at an average of $1117 and to a top of $1300 for a 108kg ram with scan data of 44mm EMD and 6.3mm fat, and ASBVs of 0.64 BWT, 9.2 WWT, 13.9 PWWT, 0 PFAT, 1.1 PEMD and 126.9 TCP.
IR Mortimore, Narembeen bought four Suffolk rams at an average of $1475 and to a top of $1600, while Yandle Farming Co, Narembeen and Colestan Trust, Narembeen, bought three rams each at an average of $1267 and $950 respectively.
