AN EXCELLENT selection of high-quality dual-purpose Dohne rams caught the interest of buyers at the Glen Holme on-property auction at Manoora last Thursday, with sales topping at $3300.
Return buyer Nathan Grosser, Bordertown, bought the top-price ram - which had a Dohne index of 143.8, Dohne EBV for yearling weight of 4.2 kilograms, 0.3mm of yearling eye muscle depth, -0.5mm of yearling fat and yearling clean fleece weight of 10.3 per cent.
"He had good feet, good body shape, wool and a good pedigree," Nathan said.
He started using Dohne genetics three years ago.
"The value of the lambs wool is much better than crossbred lambs," he said.
"I wanted a sheep with dual-purpose attributes for wool and meat."
Altogether 35 Dohnes rams were sold to average a solid $1280.
Stud owners Allen and Joy Kelly, who run the property alongside daughter Lauren Philp, her husband Damien, and their two sons Ryan, 4, and Hayden, 2, said they were pleased with the sale.
"Most rams went to repeat clients and we also welcomed some new buyers," Mr Kelly said.
"The highest-price rams went to people who had bought here before.
"There was also good interest in the future stud sires who were also on display at the sale."
ET rams also sold well - the first time Glen Holme had offered ET rams.
Return buyer Peter Staude, Woodgera, Kingston, bought five rams to $1600.
Mr Staude, who puts Dohne rams over first-cross Cooranga blood first-cross ewes, said it was the third time he had been back to purchase Dohne sires from Glen Holme.
"On the wool side of things a Dohne cross lamb is $2-plus a kilogram of wool better than a first-cross lamb," Peter said.
* Full report in Stock Journal, September 26 issue, 2013.
