Karinya Suffolk tops show at $7400

With 32 registered buyers in the stands and more logged on to the AuctionsPlus platform, bidding was solid throughout, resulting in a top price of $7400 for a Suffolk sire and acceptable results for most vendors across the board.

Selling agents Nutrien Livestock and Elders, cleared 28 of the 47 rams offered under the hammer for an average of $3236, which was back $1682 on last year's sale, while there were nine ewes sold from 11 offered under the hammer at an average of $500.

The clearance rate for the sale was further improved post sale with a couple of the passed-in lots also finding new homes

Last year agents sold 22 from 34 rams at an average of $4918, plus there was one ewe offered and sold at $1500.

Nutrien Livestock Breeding representative Roy Addis said the presentation of the rams was excellent once again and the final result was on par with presale expectations.

"Like in previous years, the sale struggled for clearance and it is obvious that breeders looking for genetics are certainly looking outside of just this one stud sale fixture," Mr Addis said.

"When buyers come to this sale they are very specific in what they want in terms of bloodlines and Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) and this showed in terms of the competition throughout the sale.

"Rams with high growth and muscle traits attracted the most attention from buyers."

Elders stud stock prime lamb specialist Michael O'Neill believed the sale went well considering market conditions and the market outlook and the final result was stronger than what he had expected.

"The support from stud breeders in the sale showed they appeared to be happy to look at the big picture and the future and not the present situation when it came to buying," Mr O'Neill said.

"They realise what they are buying today is not for the present but is for their future sale teams.

"For real genuine buyers there were good buying opportunities in the sale as it was a good line-up of rams across the board.

"I think the Poll Dorset and White Suffolk rams were some of the best that have been offered here in the past five years."

Achieving the $7400 top price, after creating plenty of interest among buyers due to its outstanding ASBVs, was an upstanding Suffolk sire from Richard Philipps and Sally Larkin's Karinya stud, Boyup Brook.

When the classy ram, which is the top ranked Suffolk ram in Australia this year for the TCP index, came in front of the selling podium in lot three, buyers kicked into action.

Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Tiny Holly took an opening bid of $2000 on the ram and from there he had his work cut out as he kept track of the bids.

In the end it was Mr O'Neill, who fired in the final $7400 bid.

Mr O'Neill announced he was bidding for Cheeryna stud principals Bob and Justin Duff, who were just about to kick off their on-property sale at Williams, but they put it on hold for a few minutes as they relayed buying instructions over the phone.

Mr O'Neill said the Duffs fell in love with the ram's extremely high TCP index and that was what they were chasing.

"They looked at his videos on AuctionsPlus after seeing his figures and I had a final look over the ram for them here," Mr O'Neill said.

"He is a very safe ram structure wise and his topline is spot on.

"To get a ram with a physical structure like this and the figures he has is pretty hard.

"So he is certainly a unique ram."

The mid June 2022-drop ram is sired by Karinya 199028 and out of Karinya 200232.

It has ASBVs of 0.74 birthweight (BWT), 12.36 weaning weight (WWT), 19.46 post weaning weight (PWWT), 1.70 post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD), 0.17 post weaning fat (PFAT) and -0.23 intramuscular fat (IMF), as well as index values of 157.69 TCP and 152.58 LEQ.

Based on these figures the ram ranks in the top 5pc of LambPlan for WWT and PWWT as well as top 10pc for the TCP and LEQ indexes.

The South Suffolk breed led the sale with a single entry from the Bingham family's Iveston stud, Williams and it sold in a single bid of $2000 to long-time client Anne Kennedy, EK & L Kennedy , Mia Springs stud, Williams.

The 114 kilogram ram, May 2022-drop ram is by Ridgetop 688/20.

It had raw scans at post weaning (November 2022) of 34.5mm eye muscle depth and 3.9mm fat to go with a post weaning weight of 64.5kg.

Next into the ring was an offering of 10 Suffolk rams from six vendors and at the conclusion of the run, five had sold under the hammer to the sale's $7400 top price already mentioned and an average of $3320, which was up $220 on last year.

Last year four Suffolk rams sold from seven offered at an average of $3100 and to a top of $4200.

As previously mentioned, the Karinya stud led the way for the breed selling the day's $7400 top-priced rams.

The ram was one of two offered by the stud on the day.

The stud's other entry failed to sell at auction but did sell post sale for $2000 to DP & GR Cowcher, Williams.

Goldenover stud principal Ray Batt, Cuballing, offered two rams and sold one under the hammer to the breed's $3200 second top price to the WA College of Agriculture - Narrogin, Collegian stud.

The well put-together sire is by Kerangie 192484 and had ASBVs of 0.48 BWT, 10.6 PWWT, 0.8 PEMD and -0.6 PFAT as well as index values of 121 for TCP and 112.6 for LEQ.

Kalinda stud principals Matt and Alison Mitsopoulos, Boyanup, were the largest vendors in the run with an offering of three rams which all sold under the hammer at $2000.

The three Kalinda rams were purchased by RK Drage, Mt Barker, Nixon Bros, New Norcia and Peter Egerton-Warburton, Pingelly.

Also in the Suffolk offering, two vendors combined to offer and sell six ewes to a top of $700 and an average of $517.

The Mitsopoulos family, Kalinda stud, who have sold their stud flock, were again the largest team in the offering.

They offered four ewes and cleared them all to the $700 top price and an average of $550.

Their $700 top-priced ewe, which was the supreme interbreed meat breeds exhibit of the show, was purchased by an AuctionsPlus buyer from Binda, New South Wales.

The classy young ewe is by Jusak 177085 and has ASBVs of 0.64 BWT, 17.83 PWWT, 2.18 PEMD and 0.05.6 PFAT as well as index values of 150.87 for TCP and 143.07 for LEQ.

The same AuctionsPlus buyer also purchased a second Kalinda ewe at $500.

The remaining two Kalinda ewes to sell, sold at $500 to Nixon Bros and Peter Egerton-Warburton.

The other vendor to offer Suffolk ewes was the WA College of Agriculture - Narrogin's Collegian stud.

Collegian offered and sold two ewes, one sold at $500 to Ray Batt's Goldenover stud, while the other was purchased by Alison Batt, Alibry stud, Wagin, at $400.

This year eight White Suffolk studs offered 14 rams and by the end of the run nine were headed to new homes to a top of $5600 and an average of $3444, which was back $4016 on last year.

In last year's sale five from eight White Suffolk rams sold to a sale high $22,500 and an average of $7460.

The $5600 best price in the offering was paid by the Ditchburn family's Golden Hill stud, Kukerin, who left a buying order with Mr Addis, for a ram from the Squiers family's Shirlee Downs stud, Quairading, which offered two rams in the line-up.

The May 2022-drop ram, is by Wingamin 202674 and out of a Detpa Grove ewe.

It had ASBVs of 0.61 BWT, 19.49 PWWT, 3.17 PEMD, 0.11 PFAT and indexes of 153.43 TCP and 147.29 LEQ.

Mr Addis said the ram was a well-balanced, well-fleshed structurally sound ram with excellent figures.

"The Ditchburns purchased him for his growth and muscle figures as well as his bloodline which will be an outcross for their stud," Mr Addis said.

The next best price in the White Suffolk offering was $5000 achieved by Brenton and Harriet Addis's Yonga Downs stud, Broomehill.

It was paid by the Johnston family's Merna stud, Quairading, for the sole Yonga Downs ram in the sale.

Kaiden Johnston said he liked the ram's pure White Suffolk type and his ASBVs which have good linkages which will help his stud.

"He is a well-balanced young ram with good length and muscling," Mr Johnston said.

"He will be a new bloodline for our flock as well."

The mid-August 2022-drop ram is by Bundara Downs 205857 and out of Yonga Downs ewe which is by Days 180083.

It has ASBVs of 0.31 BWT, 10.5 WWT, 17.20 PWWT, 3.11 PEMD and -0.12 PFAT, as well as index values of 156.96 for TCP and 153.6 for LEQ.

Peter Nalder, Aline stud, Wooroloo, offered and sold two rams in the line-up to a top of $4800 and an average of $3400.

The $4800 Aline ram, which was by Waratah 200564, was purchased by a Gnowangeurp buyer operating on AuctionsPlus.

The ram has ASBVs of 0.51 BWT, 19.01 PWWT, 3.87 PEMD and 0.24 PFAT, as well as index values of 152.47 for TCP and 158.51 for LEQ.

The other Aline ram in the sale sold for $2000 to an AuctionsPlus buyer from Monjingup.

The Fairclough family's Stockdale stud, York, offered and sold two rams in the line-up for an average of $3800.

Their top-priced ram sold for $4000 to the Simpson family, Barby Downs stud, Quairading.

The Rangeview 200006 son has ASBVs of 0.35 BWT, 16.54 PWWT, 1.8 PEMD and -0.68 PFAT, as well as index values of 147.51 for TCP and 145.61 for LEQ.

Stockdale's second ram, which was by Sunnybanks 180032, was purchased by Arcane Livestock, Arcane stud, Donnybrook, at $3600.

The Bingham family's Iveston stud, Williams, offered three White Suffolks and sold two under the hammer, both at $2000 to return buyer WB & BM Schulz, Williams.

One of the rams was by Iveston 201350 and had a TCP index of 150.70 while the second ram was by Ashmore 190016 and had a TCP index of 154.14.

The O'Neill family's Annaghdowns stud, McAlinden, offered one ram and it sold for $2000 to J Forbes Wood & Co, Beverley.

The Wingamin 200274 son had a TCP index of 149.98 to go with a PWWT of 18.18 and PEMD of 2.52.

The Poll Dorset breed was the biggest in terms of numbers offered with five studs combining to offer 16 rams.

By the end of the run, nine of the 16 rams had been sold under the hammer to the sale's second overall top price of $5800 and the best breed average of $3667, which was back $1000 on last year.

In comparison, last year four studs offered 16 rams and sold 12 under the hammer to a top of $7000 and an average of $4667.

Leading the way in the run and selling the $5800 top-priced ram was the Squiers family's Shirlee Downs stud, Quairading.

The thick, well-muscled ram was purchased by return Shirlee Downs buyer Garry Mitchell, Glencraobh stud, Kojonup.

Mr Mitchell said the ram was a big, long bodied, well-muscled sire and it would be a new bloodline for his flock.

"He is good through the shoulders and good on his feet as well," Mr Mitchell said.

"He also has a good set of figures particularly for EMD and eating quality."

The May 2022-drop ram is by Melton Vale 190174 and has ASBVs of 0.48 BWT, 10.3 WWT, 15.45 PWWT, 2.26 PEMD and -0.57 PFAT as well as index values of 145.51 for TCP and 146.13 for LEQ.

The next best price in the Shirlee Downs offering was $4800 paid by return buyer, the Lawrence family, Canternatting stud, Southern Brook, who first bought from the Squiers family in 1974.

The Southern Brook stud went to this value for a ram which was sired by Ivadene 170139 and had ASBVs of 0.50 BWT, 19.66 PWWT, 2.75 PEMD and -1.17 PFAT as well as index values of 162 for TCP and 146.61 for LEQ.

Two other studs purchased from the Shirlee Downs offering.

The Orrvale stud, Kojonup, paid $3000 for a Shirlee Downs rams while the Wilgarna stud, Boyup Brook, secured a ram at $2600 from the stud.

All up Shirlee Downs sold four rams from seven offered at an average of $4050.

The Squiers family also offered three rams from its Dongadilling stable and two of them sold under the hammer to top of $5200 and an average of $3900.

Paying the $5200 top price for a Dongadilling sire was the Lawrence family, Canternatting stud.

Nathan Lawrence said the Dongadilling sire was a big, solid ram with a nice hindquarter and plenty of length.

"He also stands up well and has a good clean head," Mr Lawrence said.

"He is a different bloodline to what we have had in the past to which is important."

The Ivadene 170139 son has ASBVs of 0.41 BWT, 16.52 PWWT, 2.20 PEMD and -0.73 PFAT, as well as index values of 136.68 for TCP and 120.28 for LEQ.

The other Dongadilling ram to sell in the sale was by Dongadilling 180035 and had a TCP index of 149.49.

It was purchased by Chris Patmore, Riverbend stud, Eneabba.

The Levett family's Tipperary stud, Walkaway, offered and sold three rams in the Poll Dorset run all at $3000.

The first Tipperary ram sold was a son of Tipperary 200317 and had a TCP index of 141.90 and it was purchased by a NSW-based stud at Ariah Park through AuctionsPlus.

Next to pay $3000 for a Tipperary ram was the WA College of Agriculture - Cunderdin, Cunderdin College stud, when it secured a Valma 190144 son with a TCP index of 151.08.

The final ram of the Tipperary trio was a Melton Vale 190152 son with a TCP index of 151.60 and it was purchased by the Sutherland family, Sandown stud, Perenjori.

Three studs offered one ram each in the Ile de France section and two of the studs were able to find new homes for their rams at $2000 when they sold to L & M Ag Pty Ltd, Balhannah, South Australia.

Colin Batt, Alcostro stud, Wagin, sold his ram which weighed in at 84.5kg and had scans of 45mm EMD and 5.1mm fat, while Ray Batt, Goldenover stud, Cuballing, sold his ram that weighed 96.5kg and had scans of 43mm EMD and 8.2mm fat.

Along with selling a ram in the section, the Alcostro stud offered five ewes and three of them sold under the hammer to a top of $700 and an average of $467.

Achieving the $700 top price was the stud's ewe which was sashed the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association interbreed supreme champion and grand champion ewe in the show ring when it sold to L & M Ag Pty Ltd, which also picked up a second Alcostro ewe at $300.

The other Alcostro ewe to sell made $400 when it was knocked down to Brendan Lamont, Monterey stud, Tambellup.

The Australian White rams were the last offered and in this section Stephen Abbott, Moodi Whites, Harvey, offered two rams.

Both rams found new homes during the auction selling at $2000 each to Ricetti Bros, Collie.

The two rams were by Moodi Whites 20086.

They weighed 84kg

and 80.5kg and had scans

of 37mm EMD and

8.3mm fat and 36.5mm

EMD and 6.1mm fat respectively.