Chirniminup Dohne sale tops at $4200 at Nyabing

But these weren't the only highlights in the strong sale, which saw the stud present what is believed to be the biggest single offering of fully registered Dohne rams in Australia this year.

(Under the hammer results)

The line-up of 241 rams was appreciated by a long list of new and return buyers as they chased the carcase and wool attributes offered by the Chirniminup genetics.

From the very first pen to the very last pen, the Nutrien Livestock selling team, led by auctioneers Mark Warren and Ben Hankinson, had no problems finding bids, ensuring an excellent result for the stud given current market conditions.

By the end of the sale 36 different buyers from as far north as Bolgart and east to Mukinbudin and Hyden and down to Ravensthorpe as well as all through the Great Southern region, had cleared 229 of the 241 rams offered under the hammer at an average of $1680, which was back $260 on last year's result.

In comparison, last year the stud offered 214 rams and sold 213 under the hammer at an average of $1940.

Nutrien Livestock Breeding representative Roy Addis and Mr Warren both agreed it was a great result for the stud given the current climate in the sheep industry and better than they had expected presale.

Mr Warren said to offer 241 rams and to clear 229 under the hammer was a terrific result given what was going on in the sheep industry at present.

"The stud increased its yarding this year by nearly 30 rams on last year which shows its confidence in the industry and buyers showed their support bidding strongly throughout which was great to see," Mr Warren said.

Mr Addis said the rams presented in the sale were of excellent quality and they sold accordingly.

"The sale was well-supported by regular stud buyers and there was also added support from new clients who had previously purchased at a dispersed stud," Mr Addis said.

"The rams on offer were all well-carcased types with quality Dohne wools which were also backed by industry leading Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs).

"It was a quality line-up of rams right through from lot one to lot 241 and this was evident with people still making their selections and bidding strongly at the end of the sale.

"This is a real credit to the stud and emphasises the consistency and quality of its breeding program.

"The final result is a credit to the Browne family and all the work they put into their stud."

Equally as happy with the result was stud co-principal Rachel Browne, especially the clearance rate, given the larger line-up of rams they offered this year.

"It was encouraging to see a number of new buyers in addition to our existing and faithful clients operating in the sale," Mr Browne said.

"Given the current climate for the sheep market, the lead up to our ram sale was a lot more uncertain than I would have liked.

"However the support we received is greatly appreciated and provides us with confidence moving forward.

"On behalf of the whole Chirniminup and Browne Farming team, we extend a huge thank you to everyone for their support."

The sale's $4200 top price was set reasonably early when Mr Warren stood over a deep-bodied ram with good wool and carcase traits in lot 40.

Mr Warren took an opening bid of $1800 on the ram and from there the price raced up before he finally knocked it down at $4200 to return buyers Waynne and Pip Crook, Coolangatta Enterprises, Jingalup.

Ms Crook said she believed the ram was a good all round type.

"It has good conformation and the type of wool we chase, which is a soft, white wool with nice crimp definition," Ms Crook said.

"It also has a good set of figures, which includes a good weaning weight (WWT), post weaning weight (PWWT) and yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW)."

The upstanding, well-nourished, 21.8 micron woolled ram has ASBVs of 6.5 WWT, 8.3 PWWT, 0.9 post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD), -0.3 post weaning fat (PFAT), 14.1 YCFW and Dohne Plus index of 170.2.

At these figures the twin-born ram, which is by Chirniminup TR193119, ranks in the top five per cent for WWT, 10pc for PWWT and 20pc for YCW and the Dohne Plus index.

Along with buying the top-priced ram the Crooks, also purchased another 21 rams to finish with a team of 22 at an average of $1786 to make them the equal volume buyers in the sale.

Also in the team headed to Jingalup were another six rams at more than $2000 including two at $2600.

The first ram the Crooks purchased at $2600 from lot 74 ranks in the top 10pc for WWT and PWWT and top 20pc for YCFW and the Dohne Plus index, while their second purchase at $2600 was from lot 91 and it ranks in the top 5pc for PFAT, top 10pc for YCFW and top 20pc for WWT and the Dohne Plus index.

Ms Crook said they didn't normally purchase such a big team of rams but this year they were looking to buy more as they had done a heavy cull on their old rams.

The Crooks are aiming to join 2800 ewes to Dohne rams this year for a July lambing and another 1000 Dohne ewes to Poll Dorset sires for a June lambing.

Ms Crook said they liked the Dohne breed as it has good do-ability and is a good all round sheep with both meat and wool production ability.

"The fertility of the breed is also very good," Ms Crook said.

"We have been consistently achieving more than 100pc lambs to ewes joined across both our Dohne and Poll Dorset joinings."

The Crooks aim to turn-off their Poll Dorset-Dohne cross lambs as suckers in November.

They also try to get a draft of Dohne wether lambs off in November as well.

Any Dohne wether lambs not sold in November are run through on stubbles and shorn again as hoggets before being sold.

The second top price was $3200 bid by last year's top price buyer Tim Pyle, Millstream Pastoral, Manypeaks, for a replacement ram in lot four.

The long-bodied, upstanding ram has ASBVs of 4.73 WWT, 5.99 PWWT, 0.95 PEMD, -0.04 PFAT and a Dohne Plus index of 151.78.

Mr Pyle, who farms with his brother David, said the ram had a really bright, white wool with good character and length.

"He also has a strong round body and a strong head," Mr Pyle said.

"We will use him in our nucleus flock of 150 Dohne ewes to breed rams for our own use."

Along with buying the second top-priced ram, Mr Pyle also purchased another three rams to finish with a team of four at an average of $2200.

This year the Pyle family will join 4000 Dohne-Merino ewes to Dohne rams, 8000 Dohne-Merino ewes to White Suffolk sires and 1500 Dohne-Merino ewes to Merino rams for a June lambing.

Mr Pyle said they aimed to sell their White Suffolk sired lambs as suckers in November.

"At the moment we are running our Dohne sired lambs through a feedlot before selling them but our aim is to get off some as suckers as they get more and more Dohne content in them," Mr Pyle said.

Their Dohne sired lambs are shorn in December and put through a feedlot onfarm with any of the White Suffolk sired lambs that are not sold as suckers.

They are then sold in the new year at about 22 kilograms dressed.

There were three rams in the line-up to make $3000 and the first of these sold to first-time buyer Peter Diprose, Yorklands Farms, Wellstead, who finished the day with a team of eight at an average of $2575.

Mr Diprose's $3000 selection had a Dohne Plus index of 146.5.

Next up to pay $3000 was Woodlands Grazing Co, Mukinbudin, when it selected a sire that had a Dohne Plus index of 142.6.

Woodland Grazing Co also purchased another five rams to finish with a team of six at a $2350 average.

The final buyer to go to $3000 was TC & GS Gray, Dumbleyung, which picked up two other sires at $2600 and $2400.

The Gray's purchase at $3000 was a ram which ranked in the top 10pc for WWT and top 20pc for PWWT, YCFW and the Dohne Plus index.

There were a number of other buyers who purchased strongly at the top end of the sale, including Allawa Grazing Co, Kojonup, which averaged $2200 over a team of four, while MG & R Lester, Jacup, collected five at an average of $2140 and AJ & RL Lester, Bremer Bay, finished with nine at a $2000 average.

Along with the Crooks there were another five buyers to secure double figure teams.

Matching the Crook's purchase of 22 rams to be the equal volume buyer of the day was return buyer the Edmonds family, Caelyn, Bolgart.

They finished the day with a team of 22 rams at an average of $1109 and to a top of $1800.

The next biggest buyers were return buyers Amuri Creek Fruit Pty Ltd, Denbarker and Anbrook Grazing Co, Beverley, which both collected a dozen rams.

The team headed for Denbarker topped at $2700 and averaged $1925, while the one heading north to Beverley averaged $1267 and topped at $1600.

Return buyers of four years the Mathwin family, MJ & L Mathwin, Kojonup, was among the volume buyers with a team of 11 sires at an average of $1027 and to a top of $1200.

Tom Mathwin said this year they would join 2600 Dohne-Merino ewes to Dohnes and another 2000 Dohne-Merino ewes to Poll Dorsets.

"We made the switch to Dohnes five years ago and have been happy with what they are achieving for us," Mr Mathwin said.

"We like the frame size the Dohne provides and also the ability to turn-off our prime lambs quicker."

Rounding out the buyers to take home a double figure team was return buyer Rhys De Landgrafft, TF & JF De Landgrafft, Dunn Rock, who was chasing the real dual-purpose types finished with 10 to a high of $2400 and an average of $1960.

Mr De Landgrafft said they liked the Dohne breed for its do-ability as well as its dual meat and wool traits.

The De Landgraffts, who have been using Dohnes for 10 years, will join 4000 ewes to Dohne sires for a June lambing and another 1500 Dohne ewes to White Suffolk rams for an April lambing.

Their aim is to sell their White Suffolk cross lambs as suckers and they have already successfully done that this year as 720 head have been sold at about 22kg dressed weight, two weeks ago, while their Dohne wether lambs are sold at the end of October/November to abattoirs.

Other strong supporters of the sale included PR & LR Coles, Wagin, which averaged $1556 across nine rams, while LK & DJ Thompson, secured seven at an $1800 average and Yallalie Valley, Millendon and GH Howard & Sons, Takalarup, both purchased six rams at averages of $1867 and $1783 respectively.