Mt Alma av reaches $1923

In one of the Ashby family's most successful on-property sales yet, 138 of 143 rams found homes for a $1923 average.

They went to a wide geographical area, from Kangaroo Island, Yorke Peninsula, and the Mallee to South East and into the Western Division of NSW.

The outstanding result was a vote of confidence in the stud's breeding program, producing dual-purpose rams with great constitution, carcase shape and soft, white wool.

More than 70 per cent of the offering were AI-bred from proven sires, adding to the consistency of the offering.

The highest indexing rams were among the top of the breed and keenly sought by repeat and new buyers.

This included the $4000 topper that sold to Stuart and Hugh Murdoch, Warooka, who have been clients for the past eight years.

The Lot 11 ram was a complete package, with a large frame, good muscling and top wool quality.

The April 2014-drop born as a twin had a Dohne $ index of 141 ranking in the top 15pc. This included a yearling clean fleece weight of 6.9 for the 97.5-kilogram ram.

It also had good wool quality with measurements of 17.8 micron, 3 standard deviation, 16.9 coefficient of variation and 99.7pc comfort factor.

"We are very pleased with the genetics coming through and which are showing in the results in our breeding flock," Stuart said.

The Murdochs also bought the charity ram for $3000, which was among their tally of three.

Each year, Mount Alma has generously donated the proceeds of its first ram to a worthy cause and this year selected the Broken Hill sub-branch of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Tintinara Action Club.

At $3800, the Dowling family, Loxton, secured another twin-born ram with exceptional growth including a weaning weight of 5.3 and post weaning weight of 6.5.

Bids flew from the start, with the first 40 rams averaging $2673, but in the latter part of the sale 21 rams made $1000 or less, ensuring all budgets were catered for.

Luke Mashford, Katalpa Station, via Broken Hill, was volume buyer with 16 rams for a $1538 average.

Also competing on many of the same rams was Greg Lawrence, Nine Mile Station, via Broken Hill, with nine to a $1800 high.

Another long-time sale supporter S&R DiGiorgio & Sons, Lucindale, snapped up 13 rams to $2800, average $1776, while new buyer Greg Bowering, Mount Gambier, bought 11 rams to a $1900 high and $1491 average.

Stud co-principal Eric Ashby described it as a "really successful day" and thanked their loyal clientele.

"There was a lot of great feedback on lambing percentages and growth rates which gives us confidence we are on the right track," he said.

"As we are growing as a stud with more numbers we have been able to have better selection pressure and identify proven sires to breed more consistently.

"The next few years should be really exciting."

Mr Ashby said their diverse client base highlighted the versatility of the Dohne breed with some using the rams in the high-rainfall areas over composite ewes to improve the wool quality while pastoralists who had added Dohnes to their Merino flocks were getting a quicker-growing, hardier lamb.

"We are seeing a lot more tougher seasons and that is where Dohnes are standing up particularly in the pastoral areas," he said.

Elders SA stud stock marketing manager Tom Penna described it as "the perfect sale".

"The Ashby family have been working towards this for 10 years building their numbers and quality and it has all come together today. The evenness and depth of quality was a real feature so much so that lot 143 was still 97 kilograms," he said.

"There is no grain so they know they can just put them out and they are such good doers. People were bidding up knowing they will do well with the genetics."

Landmark stud stock manager Gordon Wood had high praise for the large line-up.

"It would be difficult to find a more even line up of any breed of sheep. They have very square hindquarters and good constitution," he said.

Mr Wood said the sale "started with a bang" but it was affordable for all budgets, with rams selling from $900 to $4000.

The five remaining rams were snapped-up within minutes of the end of the sale.