SALE SUMMARY
2018 2017
Offered 166 161
Sold 160 161
Top $2800(x2) $3300
Av $1388 $1404
HIGH indexing Border Leicester rams met solid competition at Deepwater stud’s 25th annual sale on Wednesday last week at Binnum with a near full clearance and $1388 average.
Many of the Border sales this season have posted higher averages but Judy, John, Josh and Jackson Dowdy had a slight decrease on the 160 July-August 2017 drops that they sold of 166 offered.
This gave those looking for maternal sires plenty of choice at great value rates.
The entire catalogue were $uperBorders in the top 50 per cent on Lambplan, but many ranked much higher across the growth, carcase and fertility traits.
The stud added micron testing for the first time to its comprehensive data, recognising the premium for crossbred fleece wool less than 28 microns in a strong wool market.
For the second year in a row the Stark family, Stark Grazing, Naracoorte, bought the top price ram ,taking two home at $2800 this year.
The first, Lot 8, was by a home bred sire, Deepwater 140242, with a maternal $ index of 140.8, including an eye muscle depth in the top 10 per cent of the breed at 1.2.
At Lot 20 the Starks also paid $2800 for a 30.9 micron ram sired by Inverbrackie 130085 with a 143.2 maternal $ index.
Both rams had an Australian Sheep Breeding Value for number of lambs weaned of 13pc.
Stark Grazing bought six rams for a $2200 average.
Three local buyers had double digit orders, taking home nearly a third of the rams sold.
Leading the volume buyers was GB&RE Hage, Naracoorte, who secured 19 rams to $2000 five times for a $1600 average in the top end of the catalogue.
Locmaria Farms, Hynam, put together 15 rams to $2300 for a $1587 average and Moyhall Pastoral, Naracoorte, secured 15 rams to $1100, averaging $1000.
Other big buyers among the 38 registered bidders included RH Woodward&Co, Redbank, Lucindale, with nine rams to $1600 many times for a $1422 average.
W&P Coldow, Edenhope, Vic, bought eight rams to $1800 averaging $1563.
Stud principal Josh Dowdy described it as a “good sale” and said it was pleasing to again have strong local support as well as buyers from as far afield as Hamilton to Meningie.
Southern Australian Livestock agent Alistair Haynes said it was a good result and a “very solid average.”
The proof is in the pudding and people are happy with the rams and getting the results and are returning.
- Alistair Haynes, SAL agent
“The proof is in the pudding and people are happy with the rams and getting the results and are returning,” Mr Haynes said.
Landmark stud stock auctioneer Richard Miller said Deepwater’s figures were among the highest in the country with many shaded boxes across the catalogue denoting ASBV’s in the top 10pc of the breed.
“It was one of the most even lines from Lot 1 to 160 the stud has had,” he said.
“They have a good loyal group of clients that either breed their own replacements or support the first cross sales and are amongst the top genetics going into the SE area.”
SAL and Landmark were joint selling agents with Mr Miller and Mat MacDonald the auctioneers.