Presenting a quality line-up of rams at their inaugural on-property ram sale at Dumbleyung last week were Kantara White Suffolk stud owners Keith Ladyman and Jill Clarke.
Fifty White Suffolk sires with impressive Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV) were offered and snapped-up by clients who travelled to the Dumbleyung property to secure their catalogue favourites.
One hundred per cent of the offering was cleared under the hammer at an average price of $1186 and a top price of $1600 (paid twice).
Last year, the stud offered 40 White Suffolk rams at the Wagin Breeders' Ram Sale and cleared 39 under the hammer at an average of $1228.
During this year's sale, the Kantara stud donated the proceeds from its ram sold in pen 48 to the Dumbleyung St John Sub Centre.
Nutrien Livestock Breeding representative Roy Addis said he was impressed with the sale result.
"I think it was a wonderful result for the Kantara stud's inaugural on-property sale," Mr Addis said.
"There was an exceptional line-up of 50 quality White Suffolk rams offered and they were all carrying industry-relevant ASBVs.
"There was good buying support from lot number one through to lot number 50, which was great to see."
There were two rams that took out the $1600 top-price honours and these were purchased by JN & C Stone, Borden, and IC & C Faulkner, Kukerin.
The Stone family's new ram was catalogued in lot eight and had an ASBV of 17.36 post weaning weight (PWWT), 2.32 post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD), 0.05 post weaning fat and a terminal carcase production (TCP) index of 145.89.
They added an extra ram at $1400 and this ram had an ASBV of 19.0 PWWT, 2.51 PEMD, -0.38 PFAT and a TCP index of 150.78.
Kukerin buyers, the Faulkner family, also paid top price for a ram in pen 38 that had an ASBV of 17.34 PWWT, 2.45 PEMD, -0.64 PFAT and a TCP index of 150.76.
They purchased another two rams for an average price of $1367.
They paid $1400 for a ram with an ASBV of 15.54 PWWT, 1.48 PEMD, -0.34 PFAT and a TCP index of 139.5; and $1100 for a sire with an ASBV of 16.68 PWWT, 2.39 PEMD, -0.49 PFAT and a TCP index of 146.13, respectively.
The second-top price at the sale of $1500 was reached four times.
The Mott family, OL Mott & Co, Dumbleyung, bought two rams at this value and Roztine Enterprises, Gnowangerup, also purchased twice at $1500.
The Motts purchased six sires all up for an average price of $1333.
Their two $1500 rams from pens 36 and 47 had an ASBV of 17.52 PWWT, 2.33 PEMD, -0.79 PFAT and a TCP of 150.37 and 15.82 PWWT, 2.23 PEMD, 0.05 PFAT and a TCP index of 143.41, respectively.
Roztine Enterprises bought three rams for an average price of $1433, and its two $1500 rams were catalogued in lots 29 and 33.
These had an ASBV of 16.5 PWWT, 2.4 PEMD, 0.1 PFAT and a TCP index of 148.54 and 16.72 PWWT, 2.34 PEMD, -0.46 PFAT and a TCP index of 151.38.
Volume buyers at the sale were WS & HM Brockway, Wagin, securing 10 rams for an average price of $1120.
The Brockway family paid a high of $1400 twice, for the rams in pens 21 and 45, which had ASBV TCP indexes of 144.44 and 146.37, respectively.
Nutrien Livestock, Dumbleyung, agent Scott Jefferis bought six rams on behalf of CK, SJ & ST Joy, Dumbleyung, that averaged $1050 and topped at $1400 for a ram with an ASBV TCP index of 145.23.
The Joy family also purchased the ram from pen 48 for $1000 - which had its sale proceeds donated to the Dumbleyung St John Sub Centre.
M & D Bennier, Wickepin, bought five rams for an average price of $1300, paying a high of $1400 three times.
The three rams had ASBV TCP indexes of 145.95, 138.19 and 148.32 respectively.
Also purchasing five rams at an average price of $1160 was Davidson Farming, Dumbleyung, which paid to a high of $1400 for a ram with an ASBV TCP index of 143.51.
Mr Ladyman and Ms Clarke also offered some Poll Dorset sires from their Dumbledee stud and some additional White Suffolk rams that were available for private selection post-sale.
Mr Ladyman said he was pleased with the result of the sale.
"The rams we offered today were mainly based on the Depta Grove bloodline," Mr Ladyman said.
"There were also several based on Ashmore and Wakleigh bloodlines, and it was the first time we have offered them."
Mr Ladyman said they were really pleased with the support they received at their inaugural on-property sale this year.
"We want to thank our buyers and underbidders for their support," he said.
