*Total clearance of 18 stud rams to $26,000, av $5000
*114 of 118 flock rams sold to $2800, av $1600
EARLIER this month, Derrynock Poll Dorset stud, Trentham East, recorded an on-property sale record, selling a ram to a top of $26,000.
It was the highest price the stud had ever received for a ram, and after 52 years of breeding, stud principal Ted Beattie said it was great to get that reward.
“It was very pleasing, a lot of work goes into it,” Mr Beattie said.
He said the ram was the perfect example of what they had been striving to breed.
“It’s the type of ram that would appeal to most breeders, he ticked a lot of boxes,” he said.
“He was very correct, and had good, balanced figures.”
The 16 month-old ram recorded a Carcase Plus Index of 216, 18.6 for growth, 0.6 for fat, and 1.8 for muscle.
It was the Kelly family, Zacman Poll Dorset stud, Binnum, SA, that bought him.
It was the highest price they had ever paid for a ram, but they had been determined to hold the final bid.
“He was the complete package, we liked his overall length and the way he stood up and presented himself,” Stephen Kelly said.
“He’s very good structurally, and has balanced figures to go with it.”
He said he hoped the ram would keep the height in his sheep while maintaining length.
The stud had already collected nearly 1000 doses of semen, and would put him out with ewes in early December after the artificial insemination program in November.
Mr Beattie said he was pleased with the result of the sale, particularly given the tough seasons a lot of his clients had endured.
“There were a number of our regular flock ram buyers that didn’t need rams because they had destocked because of the drought,” he said.
Derrynock’s season hadn’t been favourable either, but a stockpile of hay meant they had managed to get by.