Average boost for both breed at Netley Park sale

The full offering of 95 Poll Dorset rams sold to a top of $2200, averaging $1253 – a lift of $223 from last year’s sale, while all  66 Border Leicesters offered sold to an average $1276 – up $175 from 2016, with seven rams reaching the top price of $1500.

The top price Poll Dorset ram was a twin with a ranking of 1309 of the Stockscan index.

It weighed 104 kilograms with an eye muscle area of 38 square centimetres and an 8-millimetre fat depth.

The buyer was first-time buyer Josh Keller, Coonalpyn, who also bought another two rams at $1600 and $2000.

Mr Keller said he generally ran White Suffolks, joining them to half of his 1700 ewe Merino flock for first-cross lambs, but decided he would buy and try out Poll Dorsets in his breeding next season.

He said this ram appealed with its overall body structure.

“It’s a nice, deep carcase-type ram with nice clean points,” he said.

There was good local support for the Poll Dorset selection.

BL&KJ Staude, Bordertown, bought 10 Poll Dorset rams to $1400, averaging $1200.

Amherst, Willalooka, bought eight rams to $1400, averaging $1138.

Showing a good eye for value was GL&SM Maddern, Kavina, Vic, who bought eight rams to $900, averaging $838.

LCH Bartlett & Partners, Keith, bought seven rams to $1800, averaging $1619, while Caren Partners, Bordertown, also bought seven to $1400, averaging $1171.

The evenness of the Border Leicester offering was evident in the high average achieved.

B&L Loller, Bordertown, bought four of the seven top price rams, including an 83kg ram with a 31EMA and a 1072 ranking on the Stockscan index.

They also bought an 84kg ram, that ranked 686, a 72kg twin, ranked 683, a 91kg twin, ranked 970 with a 29cm EMA.

The Lollers bought six rams for an average $1467.

MA Carman and V Marechal, Bordertown, bought two Border Leicester rams at $1500.

One was a 78kg twin ram, ranked 734 and 25EMA, with the other an 82kg twin, ranked 984 with a 28EMA.

The seventh $1500 ram was an 83kg twin ram, ranked 730 and with a 25EMA, bought by KR&RA Sherriff & Sons, Keith.

They bought 10 rams in total, averaging $1290.

Saltbush, Burra, bought nine rams to $1400, averaging $1244.

There was strong support from interstate with three clients from Rodwells, Edenhope, Vic, returning to buy up.

WD,RG&NW Robinson, Edenhope, Vic, bought 10 rams to $1400, averaging $1250.

WH Kealy & Sons, Edenhope, Vic, bought eight rams to $1200, averaging $1100.

Westwood, Edenhope, Vic, bought seven rams to $1400, averaging $1286.

Netley Park principal Michael King was pleased with the “very strong” sale.

“There was a lot of repeat support and quite a few new clients as well,” he said.

Mr King said this was a good time in the industry.

“I think the whole industry is pretty bouyant,” he said.

He had hoped to offer more rams in the lineup but had an usually high number of ewe lambs born in this drop.

Mr King said this year had seen the addition of two Retallack stud rams, bought in 2015, into the Border Leicester drop.

“They’ve really improved the lift and stretch,” he said.

Also on show was the newest addition to the stud, a ram bought for $12,000 at the Australasian Dorset Championships in Bendigo, Vic, earlier this month, from Abelene Park.

“It was probably the best ram in the sale and is pretty much what we are striving to breed in our Poll Dorsets,” he said.

Auctioneer Jonathan Spence, Spence, Dix & Co, said there was a wonderful draft of rams available.

“The strength of the catalogue keeps getting better each year,” he said.

The sale was conducted by Spence, Dix & Co, with Mr Spence and Luke Schreiber sharing the auctioneering duties.