Koonawarra reaches $1700 double for duo

RJ&LA Tillbrook & Sons, Curramulka, paid $1700 for lots one and two, and $1600 for lots three and four at the stud’s 18^th annual sale at Angaston last week.

Lot one was a May-born ram with Lambplan figures of 13.69 for post weaning weight, -0.86 fat and 2.18 eye muscle depth, along with a Carcase Plus index of 196.78, and Lamb202 index of 112.89.

Lot two, also May-born, measured 13.81pwwt, -0.39fat, 1.3EMD, 185.8CP and 11.49 Lamb2020.

Koonawarra principal Mark Grossman said lot one was part of the show team, and came third in the ram lamb performance class at Adelaide, while lot two was exhibited at the inaugural Sheep Expo, where it was presented as a great example of a prime ram.

Mr Tillbrook said he was looking for “size, depth, length and a nice rear”, with the four rams exhibiting those qualities. The rams will be joined to Dohne ewes for first-cross lambs.

He said he had been buying from Koonawarra for about 10 years, and the rams “keep growing” in the paddock once home.

The Tillbrooks also bought a fifth ram at $750.

The Border Leicester offering proved popular this year with a full clearance of 24 rams, and a lift in the top price and average.

The top price of $1000 was paid four times, with AL&PE McInnes, Booborowie, paying the price twice for two August-born rams, one with 4.1pwwt, -0.4fat, 0.3EMD and a Border Dollar index of 113.67, and the other with 6.9pwwt, -0.3fat, 0.9EMD and a Border$ index of 120.45.

Other buyers at that price were Wootoon Props, Angaston, for a September-born ram with 5.6pwwt, -0.2fat, 0.4EMD and Border$ index of 117.06, and M Guthrie & Sons, Gumeracha, for a July-born ram with 7.5pwwt, -1fat, 0EMD and Border$ index of 121.16.

The sale also offered a run of 10 White Suffolk stud ewes, which were all bought by JW Nourse, Saddleworth, to a top of $300, averaging $275.

Mr Grossman said it was a mixed sale.

“The quality rams sold well at the start but there was a lack of orders through the White Suffolks with some quality rams still available,” he said.

“Border Leicesters sold exceptionally well.”

Mr Grossman said the offering had shown good increases in Lambplan performance data, well above the breed average.

This year marked 25 years since the establishment of the Koonawarra stud, and Mr Grossman said there had been strong support from several regular clients, including the Doering family, Walmona, Truro, which had been buying for 23 years and were again among the volume buyers at this sale, taking 11 White Suffolk rams to $1350, averaging $964.

Tullabrin Pastoral Trust, Forreston, bought 10 White Suffolks to $1100, averaging $925.

AJ Prior, Eudunda, bought six Border Leicester rams to $850 during the auction, and six in the mini auction.

RG&TA Hentschke, Mount Pleasant, bought eight White Suffolk rams, averaging $775.

Elders conducted the sale, with Elders stud stock’s Tom Penna auctioneering the White Suffolk rams, while Elders Kapunda’s Paul Kilby took the gavel for the Border Leicester offering.