The inaugural Boree Park White Suffolk stud on-property production sale in Boyup Brook last week was defined by strong competition among established studs and peers, eager to get a hold of the high quality stud sires presented for sale.
With a sale top of $5000 reached twice and an average of $1137 across the 104 rams that sold, the results could only be described as a resounding success.
SALE SUMMARY
- (Under the hammer results)
- Offered: 132
- Sold: 104
- Top: $5000 (2)
- Gross: $118,200
- Average: $1137
A first ever sale is always going to contain the element of the unknown and when you consider the current market conditions, having such a well-attended sale and solid prices, averages and clearances, shows without a doubt the confidence buyers have in the genetics on offer.
The top price of $5000 was achieved twice and both buyers were White Suffolk stud breeders, a very telling nod to the success Boree Park has had in its breeding program.
The $3100 second top price of the sale was a fellow stud breeder, with the pattern making it evident that although this may have been the very first Boree Park on-property ram sale - it was just the beginning for the accolades the stud is capable of garnering.
Elders, Gnowangerup agent James Culleton, auctioned the sale and said it was great to see the shed full with 26 registered buyers, with 11 being return buyers of the Ida Vale White Suffolk stud, that had been purchased by Boree Park previously.
"There was a really great social atmosphere in the shed," Mr Culleton said.
"The positivity translated into a good result with both the vendor and buyers happy at the end of the day.
"It was great to see the loyal Ida Vale clients come across to buy their requirements.
"You can easily see the investment Boree Park has made in their genetics.
"It was a very even and quality lineup of White Suffolk stud sires."
This evenness was discussed by many inspecting the rams and it was reflected in the comprehensive Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV) provided for each sire penned.
The two $5000 equal top-priced rams were penned side by side as lots 11 and 12 in the catalogue.
Pen 11 a twin sired by Ashmore 200988, was born on May 5, 2022 and had ASBVs of 0.2 birth weight (BWT), 9.94 weaning weight (WWT), 17.25 post weaning weight (PWWT), 0.41 post weaning fat (PFAT), 3.84 post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD), 0.03 intramuscular fat (IMF) and an equal terminal carcase production and eating quality index (LEQ) of 167.42.
With these figures the ram ranks in the top 1pc for the LEQ and TCP indexes, top 5pc for PEMD, top 10pc for PWWT and top 20pc for IMF on LambPlan.
Pen 12's equal top-priced ram was also born a twin, by sire Felix 200145 on June 7, 2022 and had ASBVs of 0.09 BWT, 11.33 WWT (top 20pc), 17.2 PWWT (top 20pc), 0.2 PFAT, 3.63 PEMD (top 5pc) and indexes of 162.14 for TCP and 162.57 for LEQ, which are both in the top 5pc.
The rams were purchased by Nick Cheetham, Cheetara White Suffolk stud, Narembeen and Peter Walker, Jusak White Suffolk stud, Newdegate, respectively.
Neither breeder was at the sale and Mr Walker purchased his ram via AuctionsPlus.
Both rams were also sold under the condition that Boree Park has collected 300 doses of semen from each ram and reserves the right to collect another 300 doses at the stud's expense for in stud use only.
Elders stud stock prime lamb specialist, Michael O'Neill, said he was very impressed with both of the top-priced rams and with Boree Park's overall sale.
"Being the first sale it was really great to see the vendor open to selling the top of their sheep, their stud sires," Mr O'Neill said.
"The absolute quality of these sheep is evident especially when you take into account the extremely high and very even figures for both sires TCP and LEQ.
"It is very rare to get both traits so high and equal and they have done this with both of these rams."
Speaking to each stud's purchases separately, Mr O'Neill said Mr Cheetham was after exceptional data.
"Again it is very hard to find TCP and LEQ of that magnitude together," he said.
"This sire will have two effects, one will be to lift the TCP and the other to improve the LEQ.
"This sire has the potential to be very influential within the Cheetara flock."
Mr O'Neill said Mr Walker had purchased the ram via AuctionsPlus.
"The ram is packed full of muscle," he said.
"He will improve the overall eating quality of the flock.
"He is the type of sheep that suits our Wheatbelt conditions, with good neck extension, nice clean points, there is a lot to like about him.
"He will do well and produce good feedlot lambs."
The $3100 second highest-priced ram was purchased by Nathan Ditchburn, Golden Hill stud, Kukerin, who said Boree Park had been buying their genetics for a few years and they wanted to get another stud sire themselves.
"They have quite a few different bloodlines to us," Mr Ditchburn said.
"The ram will be an outcross for our stud."
Volume buyers of the day were in abundance and they were led by former Ida Vale client Clare Walker, Beech Banks Farms, who purchased 16 sires to a top of $1700 and an average of $1238.
Xavier White, FL White & Co purchased nine rams for an average of $1267, among them was the charity ram donated to the Shearing for Liz Pink day with proceeds going to Breast Cancer Research WA, the ram was sold for $1600.
