An “unbelievable” sale saw records tumble at Ramsay Park on Friday last week, with a large gallery of local and interstate buyers pushing the top to a sale best $4400.
In what principal Peter Button described as the Minlaton stud’s “best sale to date” for their largest ever lineup, 69 of 72 White Suffolks rams sold at an average of $1504, while the Suffolks and black composites achieved a full clearance.
Prices went beyond $4000 twice and Bush Farming, WA, bought the top White Suffolk for $4400 via phone.
Elders Minlaton’s Adam Pitt said the new buyer had been keeping an eye on the stud’s progression and had seen the ram previously and loved what it could offer to the stud.
The son of Bundura Downs 122261 was an embryo transfer with post weaning values of 17.5 weight, -0.1 fat, 3.1 eye muscle depth, and with a Carcase Plus Index figure of 223.
Return buyer Castle Hill, Port Vincent, also bid high to $4200 for a fast growing August 2017-drop ram with 17.5 PWWT, -0.1 PFAT, 0.8 PEMD and a 201 Carcase Plus figure.
Volume buyers on the day included Rocklands YP, Curramulka, who bought five averaging $1640; Holland Park, Stansbury, bought five averaging $760; and Carramulla, Port Vincent, also bought five averaging $1080.
Peter Stockman, Burra, picked up 10 White Suffolks to a top of $2000, averaging $1330, which included the lot 30 ram of which all proceeds went towards the HeartKids charity.
In the Suffolks and black composites, DK&B Bagshaw, Minlaton, took home the top – a black composite with 11.1 PFAT, -0.4 PFAT, and 0.5 PEMD for $1500.
Ramsay Park also offered 25 White Suffolk ewes for the first time in a helmsman auction of which 11 sold to top of $675, averaging $414.
Mr Button said the “sale was unbelievable” with the most registered buyers they have had.
“It’s always nice to pick up new interest and yet we also have people who bought at our first sale 24 years ago,” he said.
“With top prices and a good clearance, what more could you ask for.”
Elders auctioneer Tony Weatherill said it was a great result for a terrific lineup of stud and commercial rams.
“Peter and Julie have invested strongly in some of the best genetics from around australia to lift the standard of their rams up to an extremely high level in terms of carcase performance and visual appeal, which had new and old buyers bidding strongly throughout the sale,” he said.
The stud continued the trend this year with the joint $43,000 purchase of Premier White Suffolks’, NSW, ‘Meat Machine’, at the Royal Adelaide Show.
Mr Button said the ram had an appealing “visual genetic balance” that will be used to “maintain and improve” their White Suffolk type.
Sale conducted by Elders and Landmark with Tony Weatherill as auctioneer.