Wonoka ram reaches $4400 at Mid North sale

This set the tone for the sale which saw 15 of 22 Wiltipoll rams sold under auction, averaging $1373, and full clearance of the 20 composite rams, averaging $1405.

The multivendor sale includes lots from the Wonoka stud, Kapunda, Jayvee Farm, Bute, Spring Creek, Marrabel, and Calena Heights, Tumby Bay.

The top price of $4400 was paid for a Wonoka ram by Matt Octoman and Lauren Roberts, Calena Heights, Ungarra.

The twin ram weighed 89.5 kilograms with a fat score of 8.5 millimetres and eye muscle depth of 39mm with 100 per cent shedding.

Mr Octoman said the ram appealed with its early growth and maturity as well as good backline, and would be used in the Calena Heights stud program.

Bidding was also strong on the composite portion of the sale, with it reaching a high of $2700, paid by BK&LJ Laubsch, Kapunda, for a Wonoka ram with 41pc Wiltipoll, 48pc White Dorper and 11pc Poll Dorset genetics.

The ram weighed 100.5kg with 8fat and 42EMD, while still 100pc shedding.

Wonoka co-principal San Jolly said composites were becoming an increasing focus for the stud.

“Probably in the past two to three years there has been a distinct shift to composites with more and more fully shedding,” she said.

Ms Jolly said the stud had placed an emphasis on genetics selection for early maturity and early shedding.

“We wouldn’t normally expect the sheep to be fully shed at this time of year,” she said.

“The fact we’ve had a later season and they’re clean already is a real positive and is purely down to genetics.”

Ms Jolly said she was “very happy” with the strength of the sale.

“We had some of our regular buyers back, which is great to see, and a few new buyers as well as interstate buyers,” she said.

Calena Heights sold four of five Wiltipoll rams offered to $1800, averaging $1100; Spring Creek sold three of eight Wiltipoll rams to $1100, averaging $833; Jayvee Farms sold one Wiltipoll ram at $2300 and two composite rams to $1000, averaging $900; Wonoka sold eight Wiltipoll rams, averaging $1425 and 18 composite rams, averaging $1461.

A run of Wonoka registered ewes were also offered with all nine Wiltipoll ewes sold to $350, averaging $305, and seven of 11 composites to $285, averaging $267.

Volume buyers were Kars Pastoral Co, Strathalbyn, which bought five composite rams to $2400, and Peter Dowdle, Hamilton, Vic, who bought two Wiltipoll rams and three composite rams to $1600.

The sale was conducted by Landmark Beaton Agencies with Landmark studstock manager Gordon Wood wielding the gavel.