SALE SUMMARY
White Dorpers
2016 2015
Offered 86 81
Sold 58 81
Top $3800 $3800
Av $1217 $1334
Dorpers
Offered 12 25
Sold 12 21
Top $1800 $1800
Av $850 $986
A WIDE geographical spread of buyers from western NSW to the Eyre Peninsula ensured a solid result at Red Rock and Edson Livestock’s annual White Dorper and Dorper ram sale on Friday at Keith.
The crowd, including many long-time clients, upped the ante to secure their top picks from Pat, Brad and Tanya Edson seeking out clean shedding rams with great muscling.
But there were plenty of good buying opportunities at the stud’s 11th annual sale, with less volume orders than 2015 and more depth of quality in the offering.
In the White Dorper offering, 58 of 86 rams sold, mainly June to September 2015-drops, averaging $1217 – down about $100 on 2015.
The $3800 top price matched last year with Angus McTaggart, Nonning Pastoral, Woolumbool, securing the sale topper Red Rock 150112 for his stud.
The June-2015-drop twin White Dorper weighed 89.5 kilograms and had a 40-millimetre eye muscle depth.
It was by homebred sire Red Rock 110194 and was described in the catalogue as a “stunning ram”.
“It is structurally correct and full shedding with nice soft hair and good muscle,” Mr McTaggart said.
“We have had a few Red Rock rams in the past and they have done well.”
Long-time client Jamie Pitt, Moorlands, paid the $3600 second-highest price for a long bodied, full shedder.
The August 2015-drop had a weaning weight of 50kg and current weight of 99kg.
It was one of his four buys.
The Mallee was strongly represented, including PJ&VR Rundle, Lameroo, who bought four rams to $2000 and WMD&SM Small, Geranium, with four rams to $800.
Old Fairview, Lucindale, took home five rams averaging $1200.
The 12 Dorper rams from the Edson Black stud averaged $850 in a total clearance.
The $1800 top price ram was the Royal Adelaide Show grand champion Edson Black 150728.
The AI-bred son of Glen Park 130650 had great weight for age at 119kg, with a 42EMD and 9mm fat depth.
It caught the eye of Danny and Michelle Brumfield, Tailem Bend, who have been breeding Dorpers for five years.
The Edsons rated the ram highly and had planned to retain it until buying the $7000 top price ram at the Bendigo Supreme Dorper Sale in July from Dell stud, NSW.
The sale was interfaced with AuctionsPlus, which proved the biggest buyer, with the eight registered bidders securing 28 rams.
Stud co-principal Tanya Edson said the top end sold very well but the absence of a couple of their regular Broken Hill, NSW, and Karoonda commercial clients impacted on the clearance rate.
“The top end were the best ever with a bigger selection of top rams,” she said.
Mrs Edson said demand was still strong for the breed with buoyant lamb prices.
They had already supplied rams to some pastoral clients due to the great season in many areas.
“We have just got back from Broken Hill and there are still stations up there crossing to Dorpers,” she said.
“It is the same on the West Coast with people moving into Dorpers for their easy care and low maintenance.
“Low birthweight lambs is also a really big trait, especially for older farmers.”
Twenty five rams sold at the $700 upset price.
Elders and Landmark conducted the sale, with Steven Doecke and Richard Miller the auctioneers.
