THERE was an outstanding line-up of rams at Leroy and Rohan Hull and family's Kattata Well White Suffolk stud sale at Port Kenny on September 4.
Like peas in a pod, the 12 to 13-month-olds weighed up to 132.5 kilograms and averaged 114kg, with only one late August-drop failing to hit the 100kg bodyweight.
With such a high-quality offering, it was not hard to convince the 32 registered buyers to bid up strongly. All 100 rams offered were sold in the process.
Auctioneers Ben Dickenson and Craig Barbary, for agents Eyre Peninsula Livestock, refereed the active bidding that saw a very strong top end, with five rams selling for $2000 or better and topping at $3000.
From there on the sale progressed to a solid middle ground, and found good value in the last third of the offering.
There was a total clearance to a strong $1103 average. Despite that, there was room for value buying, with 43 per cent of the offering selling under $1000 and 35pc in the affordable $600 to $800 range.
In the offering, 80pc were multiple births, with fertility a key profit driver in the prime lamb industry.
Long-time supporters Gus and Ashley May, Mayome Pty Ltd, Kyancutta, bought the $3000 ram topper and were the biggest volume buyers, with nine rams in total.
They were able to select the balance of their pick from $600 to $1600, with the nine averaging $1289.
The top-price ram, KW130044, was a son of Nalvin Park 090047 and had a growth estimated breeding value of 17.4 and a Carcase Plus Index of 195.4.
The Mays are regular top-price buyers, and look for rams with exceptional growth but with a frame size that allows progeny to meet market specifications.
Lambing down from late August they market the quickest-growing 10-20pc of their lambs as 18-20kg carcase weight suckers in spring, and take the rest through to heavier weights, finishing off on stubbles at 6-7mo.
Luke Sidler, Inkster, set the early top price at $2600 for KW 130246 which had a Carcase Plus index of 192.5. This ram was sired by Detpa Grove 110468, a ram that has blended so well with the Kattata Well ewes.
With exceptional hindquarter muscling and conformation in particular, this sire had 11 of the first 15 rams in the catalogue. Luke Mr Sidler secured another ram at $1700 to average $2150 for his two select purchases.
Gary Crettenden, Cummins, buying through EP Livestock, was a volume buyer. Paying to $1600, his eight rams averaged $1025.
* Full report in Stock Journal, September 11, 2014 issue.
