SALE SUMMARY
2017 2016
White Suffolks
Offered 74 67
Sold 74 52
Top $3400 $2000
Av $1217 $1141
Suffolks/black composites
Offered 25 25
Sold 22 17
Top $2000 $2200
Av $1168 $926
RAMSAY Park had its “best sale ever by a mile”, according to principal Peter Button.
There was full clearance of the White Suffolk offering of 74, with a jump in the top price, to $3400, and average, to $1217, at the 23rd on-property sale at Minlaton on Friday.
The average also lifted $242 on last year’s sale in the Suffolk and black composite offering, to $1168, with a clearance of 22 of 25 rams offered, selling to $2000.
Repeat buyer Andrew and Bec Bennett, Bark Hut White stud, Parndana, paid the top price in the White Suffolk and Suffolk offering.
The $3400 White Suffolk – lot 1 – was a late April 2016-drop, was sired by Warburn 140288, and had a Carcase Plus index of 185.
It also had Australian Sheep Breeding Values ranking of 0.38 for body weight, a post weaning weight of 14.26, fat of -0.43 and eye muscle depth of 1.
Mr Bennett said he admired the ram for its depth and muscling.
“It had a good, straight sire topline,” he said.
The top price Suffolk was a July 2016-drop, a triplet, ranked 152 on Carcase Plus.
It was ranked 0.4 for bodyweight, 8.55PWWT, -0.1fat, and -0.75 for fat.
The Bennetts also bought a second White Suffolk triplet ram at $2100, ranked 191 on Carcase Plus.
Mr Bennett said the three sires would be incorporated into the Bark Hut breeding to “put a bit of thickness back through”.
Mr Button said the top price White Suffolk ram had a “balance of visual and genetics”.
Buying up at the sale was Peter Stockman, Burra, with seven White Suffolk rams and two black composites to $1500, averaging $1300.
Quality Livestock, Minlaton, bought six White Suffolk and three Suffolk rams to $1800, averaging $1355.
Mr Button was thrilled with the sale results, including strong buyer support.
“It’s by far the biggest turnout we’ve had,” he said. “There was at least six new buyers that all took reasonable numbers.”
He was also happy with the sheep presented.
“It’s the most even line of sheep we’ve put up, with depth right through to the last pen,” he said. “We’ve put a lot of money on selecting the best genetics and it’s starting to show.”
This followed their Royal Adelaide Show where Ramsey Park topped the Adelaide Elite sale at $18,000.
The sale was conducted by Elders and Landmark with Elders stud stock’s Tom Penna as auctioneer.
Charity lot helps Heart Kids
A CHARITY lot from the Ramsay Park auction has raised $1400 to help support Heart Kids.
Ramsay Park principals Peter and Julie Button, Minlaton, regularly donate one ram to a worthy cause and this year were inspired by Lucy McGregor, the granddaughter of their friends, and neighbours, Sharon and Steven Glazbrook.
Lucy has a rare heart condition and is on the transplant list. With Lucy born on January 30, the Buttons decided to donate lot 30.
The agents also waived their commission with Rod’s Stock Blocks also donated 10 blocks to go with the ram to its new owner.
The ram was a 16-month-old twin, rated 195 on the Carcase Plus index, and bought by David Short, Curramulka.
The Buttons said they hoped this would make organ donation awareness a topic of conversation.