PREMIER stud’s dream run at the Royal Adelaide Show culminated in selling the supreme ram of the show for a whopping $43,000.
The new record high price for the sale pushed the overall average to $6044 – up $139 on last year – with the White Suffolk breed averaging $6840.
Last year’s top price vendor returned as the highest bidder this year, as part of a two-stud syndicate to sign the big cheque for Brayden and Lochie Gilmore’s Premier White Suffolk ram.
Peter and Julie Button of Ramsay Park at Minlaton, and the Dalla family from Redwood White Suffolks, part of their Orrie Cowie stable at Warooka, joined forces to buy the August 2017-drop ram, which weighed 134.5 kilograms, had 9.5 millimetres of fat and an eye muscle depth of 47mm.
The sire had won supreme interbreed ram of the show earlier in the day, and was entered into the sale as a wild card.
It was the ram’s massive growth for age that caught Mr Button’s interest, along with its balanced Lambplan figures.
“Early growth is paramount in the lamb industry and this ram has that in spades,” Mr Button said.
The other half of the buying syndicate, John Dalla, described the ram as the best White Suffolk he had ever seen.
“It has structure, carcase and softness, a combination you don’t seem to get all in one,” he said.
“The photos don’t do the ram justice, when I saw it in person, it was just unreal.”
The ram will be collected for semen and used physically at both properties, with Mr Dalla saying it would make a good cross for his Wingamin 242 daughters – a ram he bought at the same sale for $10,000 in 2014.
When asked if they were expecting the big price tag, Mr Dalla said it was a “fair bit”, especially given the season, but the ram was “worth every bit of it”.
The White Suffolk breed delivered the top three prices of the sale, offering 35 rams and selling 22.
Michael and Julie Osborne, Ryeview stud, Millicent, paid the second highest price of $22,000 for a Waratah ram offered by Steve and Di Milne, Branxholme, Vic.
The ram weighed 100kg, with 9mm fat and 46EMD, and had Lambplan estimated breeding values ranging from 0.58kg to 20kg for growth, a Carcase Plus Index figure of 225.3 and was 150.6 for eating quality index.
The Osbornes also paid $9000 for a second Waratah ram, and Mr Osborne said they had successfully used one of the stud’s rams before.
“Its figures, including eating quality, as well as growth, fat and muscle, suited what we were looking for – and the figures were just one spanner in the big box of tools, when we saw them the rest fit as well,” he said.
Mr Osborne said they had already sold semen in the $22,000 ram to Western Australia, and semen packages were on the market at $60 a straw.
Another syndicate of two South East studs paid $15,000 for a wild card entry from Baringa stud, Oberon, NSW, which was the reserve champion White Suffolk ram.
Andrew Frick, Gypsum Hill stud, Padthaway, and Anthony Hurst, Seriston stud, Avenue Range, teamed up to buy the ram, which Mr Frick said they couldn’t go past for its smoothness and structure.
“We are both interested in figures, but also want to breed structure and confirmation,” he said.
Rams that had great performance data and stood up phenotypically were recognised and rewarded.
- GORDON WOOD
“We knew to purchase the better end rams was going to take a bit of money, so if we can share the cost, it allows us operate on top rams and spread it across more ewes.
“We are always looking to improve and the buoyancy of the lamb market makes finance a bit easier at the minute. But the stud game is a long-term commitment and we have ridden out a lot of lows, so it is just good some of our clients are getting financial benefits at the moment.”
Landmark auctioneer Gordon Wood, who sold the $43,000 ram, said it was likely the best average and clearance the sale had seen, as well as the highest number of buyer registrations.
“Rams that had great performance data and stood up phenotypically were recognised and rewarded,” he said.
Suffolk breeders offered 14 rams and sold 10, averaging $4722.
The $10,500 top Suffolk ram was from Jon Sutherland and Jody Zoch’s Sayla Park stud at Kilmore, Vic.
The August-drop ram was bought by Ellie McDonald, Hopea stud, Dadswells Bridge, Vic, who selected the ram for its pedigree and raw data, especially as a lamb, after seeing it last month at Hamilton Sheepvention, Vic.
Hopea comprises 100 Suffolk and 110 White Suffolk stud ewes, offering 50 rams for sale privately each year.
Ms McDonald said the Suffolk breed was gaining popularity in her local area, with the demand for ewes more then she could supply.
“Lamb producers are realising you don’t get docked for colour, and in some instances they actually make more money,” she said.
