SALE SUMMARY
2017 2016
Offered 154 154
Sold 118 148
Top $2200 $2300
Av $972 $980
After a tough season, Anna Villa stud principal Anthony Ferguson was pleased with the 55th annual on-property sale’s top-end result at Weetulta last week.
On offer were 140 White Suffolks with 106 sold at an average of $974, while it was full clearance of the 14 Suffolks offered that topped $1700 for a $964 average.
Last year’s top price ram buyers and return clients of seven years, Samuel and Wayne Young, River Park Farming, Port Pirie, again secured the top lot for $2200.
A White Suffolk, the 13-month-old June 2016-drop ram had a weaning weight of 10.82, post weaning weight of 15.87 and post weaning fat of -0.36.
Samuel Young said it had quality figures that produced a deep bodied ram with a sire-y head.
The Young’s run 3500 cross bred lambs on 450 hectares and the ram will go in with the ewes in December.
The top price Suffolk ram sold for $1700 to DJ&SF McIntyre, through Wardle & Co, Maitland.
The July 2016-drop had a WWT of 6.10 and a PWWT of 8.57.
Mr Ferguson said he took nothing but positives from the stud’s auction.
“Given the season and the younger age of the rams the prices were a bit back to where they could have been but with the amount of feed we have not had this year, the lots sold very well,” he said.
“For the past two years we targeted trying to reduce fat levels and increase our muscle, we have also pulled our growth up as well and I think this all came through in the lineup this season.”
The $2100 second highest price ram sold to NR Gardner & Co, through Landmark Kadina.
The June 2016-drop ram had a weaning weight of 10.70, PWWT 15.99, PFAT -0.56 and 0.97EMD.
For the second year, proceeds of a lot were donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, to give back to the organisation that offered support to Mr Ferguson’s father who passed away last year.
It sold for $1300 to volume buyer DJ&PA Smith, Carrieton, who bought 10 rams to $1300, averaging $1260.
Mr Ferguson said a charity ram will continued to be auctioned each year with a hope the support grows.
Elders stud stock specialist Tom Penna said the top end of the sale had “show preparation”.
“The genetics were fully expressed, so the competition for those particular lots was very strong especially with regular buyers,” he said.
JR Kerin, through Elders Roseworthy, bought six rams to $950, while TD PL&ED Barlow, through Elders Minlaton, secured five to $1200, averaging $1120.
ID&VJ Hoile, through Landmark Minlaton, five to $1100, averaging $820 and RW&DH Joyce, through Elders Maitland, four to $1700, averaging $1375.
The sale was conducted by Elders Maitland with Tom Penna and Landmark’s Gordon Woods auctioneering.