ANDREW and Tracie Heinrich and family defied a trend to lower averages and clearances – as producer optimism declined in a poor spring season – at their annual White Suffolk and Poll Merino ram sale at Parndana on Friday.
They sold 204 head from the two breeds at a superb overall average of $1189, and an increase of $14,150, or 6 per cent, in sale gross.
The bigger offering was from their White Suffolk flock, with 170 outstanding and very even quality rams going under the hammer of Landmark auctioneer Leo Redden.
One-hundred of the 170 had Lambplan Carcase Plus indices of 190 or better, with 23pc exceeding 200.
Kangaroo Island producers, plus a sprinkling of mainlanders, have come to appreciate the consistent performance of these rams and the 53 registered bidders were dominated by repeat clients.
They competed strongly and in a total clearance the 170 sold to $5200 and averaged $1235.
Neighbour Sam Mumford bought 15 rams, paying to $2400 and averaging $1360.
Damian Smart, another repeat buyer operating through Spence, Dix & Co, Keith, was prepared to go higher than all others to buy lot three, Ella Matta 130101.
Besides good phenotype, this Pollambi 110451 son was the highest performance ram in the catalogue with figures 12.2 for weaning weight 18.3 for post-weaning weight, -0.5 for Pfat, 2.2 for post-eye muscle depth, -29.6 for post-weaning egg count and a Carcase Plus index of 218.9.
Anthony Ferguson, Anna Villa stud, picked up the next Pollambi 110451 son with a 205.7 C+ index for the sale's second top price of $3600.
Gary Price, Karatta Pastoral, and buying through Landmark Kadina for his ram breeding program at Padthaway, underbid the top ram, but was successful in purchasing EM130170, with a C+ index of 209.5 for $3200.
Other highlight ram purchases were made by Robert Hams, Parndana (one at $3300), Stephens & Stephens, Victor Harbor (two at $2700), Pintavale Pty Ltd, via Kingscote (one at $2700) and New Country KI P/L, Penneshaw (one at $2100).
It was clear that most buyers were prepared to pay good prices for these elite performance rams, but obviously there are limits in most buying budgets.
The first 20 rams averaged $2250 in an exceptionally strong opening.
* Full report in Stock Journal, October 16, 2014 issue.
