SALE SUMMARY
2017 2016
Offered 143 127
Sold 143 127
Top $6000 $4000
Ave $1212 $1206
The Michael family’s development of industry leading trait figures was rewarded at their Leahcim White Suffolk on-property auction at Snowtown on Friday, with a top price of $6000 and a full clearance of 143 rams.
The top price was up $2000 on last year, and despite an extra 16 rams being offered, the $1212 average mirrored the 2016 sale.
Andrew, Rosemary, Luke, Stewart and Alistair Michael were rapt with the result of the sale, which included 15 rams from three 2016 sires featuring the highest Australian Sheep Breeding Values figures nationally for carcase and eating quality.
All 15 rams by the three top sires featured in the highest prices at this sale, affirmation of the growing focus on the importance of these traits.
Commercial sheep growers and long-term Leahcim clients Paul and Yvonne Wurst, Appila, bought the $6000 top price ram, which sported outstanding muscling conformation through the loin and hindquarter areas.
It had outstanding ASBV carcase and eating quality figures of 11.8 weaning weight, 17.8 post-weaning weight, -0.4 PW fat, and 1.9 PW eye muscle depth, culminating in a Carcase Plus Index of 213.
The Wursts purchased two additional high-end rams; one at $3000 and one at $2000.
“The benefits of the top-end rams come back to us in our next lambing, with increased carcase size and lambing percentages,” Mr Wurst said.
A ram with virtually identical figures and the same sire as the top price ram achieved second-highest price of $4400.
It will be an integral part of the stud breeding program at Paul Goering’s Lukin Springs White Suffolk stud at Boyup Brook, WA.
Fellow WA buyer Scott Welke, Esperance, secured 11 rams to $3000, averaging $1382.
Mr Welke also bought 53 Leahcim White Suffolk ewes and plans to develop his own stud.
Spalding farmer Tom Trengove, Trengove Partners, was the sale’s volume buyer, taking 16 rams with well-balanced figures, and especially good growth and carcase size, all at $900.
Regular volume buyer Tom Hawker, Anama, via Clare, bought 15 rams averaging $1046, again targeting the early growth and eating quality traits.
Another long-term volume buyer, Craig Bell, Bono Station, took 11 rams averaging $818. Mr Bell has averaged $100 a head on-property for 4000 lambs sold through AuctionPlus in the past three years.
Andrew Michael said he was pleased to be able to offer 143 rams this year, up 16 from last year.
“We like to make sure we have rams available for all our clients at good value,” he said.
Landmark conducted the sale, with stud stock manager Gordon Wood taking the bids.
