Hedingham White Suffolk starts with $4100 high at Wickepin

Hedingham 220240 had attracted plenty of attention in the lead-up to the sale, with its Australian Sheep Breeding Value (ASBV) post-weaning weight (PWWT) of 22.6 ranking it as the second-best 2022-drop White Suffolk ram in WA and ninth Australia-wide.

It was Graham Sutherland, Sutherland Grazing Co, who emerged victorious at the end of the bidding war overseen by Elders auctioneer Steele Hathway.

Mr Sutherland had travelled from Perenjori to secure the ram for nephew Les, principal of the Sandown White Suffolk stud.

Les Sutherland said he had not bought from the stud before but had heard about the ram and, confident in his uncle's judgement, asked him to take a look at it with a view to introducing a new bloodline into his stud.

"Uncle (Graham) started the Sandown Poll Dorset stud and knows we're chasing high growth rams, so I asked him to have a look at it for me," Mr Sutherland said.

As well as the impressive PWWT, the Gemini-sired 126.5kg ram also boasted other ASBVs of 0.56 birthweight (BWT), 1.5 post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD), -0.4 post weaning fat (PFAT) and a 159.62 TCP index.

Bidding remained competitive for the rams throughout the sale, with 99 of the 100 White Suffolks offered selling to 15 of the 18 registered buyers at an average of $1325, down $236 year-on-year.

Almost one-third of the catalogue was shared between two buyers, with D & D Warburton, Wandering and AW Lyneham & Son, Popanyinning, each buying 15 rams.

Dean Warburton paid an average of $1070 and to a top of $1350 for his rams, many of which he bought two at a time.

A regular buyer, Mr Warburton said he was looking for long, deep-bodied rams which would be crossed with about 4000 Merino ewes for his prime lamb and feedlot operation with son Troy.

Meanwhile Steve Lyneham, also a regular buyer, bought his 15 rams at an average of $1383 and to a top of $1550.

W & G Wilson, Narrogin, bought 10 rams at an average of $1510, including paying to a top of $1600 twice - one for a 101.5kg ram with ASBVs including 0.36 BWT, 15.3 PWWT, 3.1 PEMD, 0.0 PFAT and 151.36 TCP index and the other a 92.5kg ram with 0.34 BWT, 18.8 PWWT, 2.1 PEMD, 0.3 PFAT and 156.74 TCP index.

Second-top price of the afternoon was paid by Cowcher Farming, Wickepin, with Tim Cowcher snapping up the 102.5kg ram in pen three for $2200.

It had ASBVs including 0.41 BWT, 20.6 PWWT, 1.7 PEMD, -0.4 PFAT and 157.86 TCP index.

It was one of three rams bought by Mr Cowcher at an average of $1967.

Last year's volume buyer Greg Ferguson, Westdale, returned, securing nine rams at an average of $1167, including twice to a top of $1400.

Regular buyers Julie and Philip Russell attended with sons Chad and Toby and went away with eight rams at an average of $1325, including to a top of $1450.

Mr Russell said they selected their rams based on a lower range birthweight, and a quick birth weight to weaning weight.

They also looked for rams with a positive eye muscle and negative PFAT, which would be mated to about 1200 Merino ewes for lambs that would ultimately be sold to Hillside Meat Processors at nearby Narrogin.

"We do look at the figures when we're choosing our rams, but to be honest, these are the Thompson's top rams, and it wouldn't really matter which ones we bought, they're all good rams," Mr Russell said.

Also buying eight rams was LR & S Sims, Narrogin, at an average of $1388 and to a top of $1500, while Snow & Co, Wickepin, bought seven rams at an average of $1121 and to a top of $1150.

M & D Bennier, Kulin, bought six rams at an average of $1242, while Cootarring Grazing Co, Narrogin, bought five rams at an average of $1380.

Bennier Trading Trust, Wickepin and Clinton Hemley, Wickepin, bought four rams each at an average of $1275 and $1563 respectively; while the remaining four rams were snapped up by Illabunda Farming, Wickepin, which bought two at an average of $1000 and A & PD Moore, Narrogin, which bought two for $800 each.