THE Hart family at Glen Devon Poll Dorset stud held its on-property sale at Two Wells on Monday this week and blitzed last year's top price by more than $4000, after offering one of its most "balanced" line-ups, according to Landmark stud stock's Gordon Wood.
The stud offered 99 rams and cleared 75, to a top of $6500 twice for a sale average of $1414.
The first lot to reach the top price was this year's Royal Adelaide Show senior champion ram sired by Glen Devon 61-16, that was sold to Gowanbrae Poll Dorset stud, Furner.
The twin ram featured Lambplan figures of 13.4 for post weaning weight, -0.7 for fat, 1.4 for eye muscle and a Carcase Plus index of 187.3.
The other $6500 sire was sold to Chris Skeer & Co, Braesun Poll Dorset stud, Hatherleigh.
Sired by Kentish Downs 467-15, its figures were 14.7PWWT, -0.5 fat, 1.5EMD and it had a Carcase Plus index of 193.9.
Mr Skeer said it was a sound ram.
Mr Skeer will utilise the top price ram over stud ewes to breed rams to join to 2500 first-cross Border Leicester Merino ewes.
"The only way to get growth rate into your flock is to operate at the top end of the sale," he said.
The $3250 second-highest price was also made twice and were sold to M Whyte through Elders Mount Barker and Pondum Park, Naracoorte.
Sired by Derrynock 15-14, one sire had 14.9PWWT, -0.9 fat, 1.2EMD and Carcase Plus index of 193.9, while the other measured 14.4PWWT, -0.9 fat, 1.1EMD and 190.1 for Carcase Plus index.
Glen Devon co-principal Lachlan Hart said the first top price ram under the hammer was an "ideal" prime lamb industry sire.
"We were very pleased with the sale and volume buyers are really the back bone to our sale," he said.
The sale volume buyer, S&R D Digiorgio, Lucindale, secured an extensive draft of 23 rams to a top of $1900, averaging $1339.
Landmark's Gordon Wood said the line-up offered good maturity pattern and muscle.
"The top two lots were super correct. It was one of the most balanced line-ups," he said.
Rory Singleton, BR&C Agents, Ouyen, Vic, secured a draft of 16 rams to $1400, averaging $850, for five vendors.
Adalis Pastoral, Snowtown, bought seven rams to $1100, $857 and K&A Grazing, Crookwell, NSW, three rams to $1700, averaging $1566.
The sale was conducted by Landmark Clare with Landmark's Gordon Wood as auctioneer.
Results reached with top genetics
As a buyer of Glen Devon Poll Dorset stud rams for more than 15 years, Nanni Digiorgio, Lucindale, has committed to utilising the stud's genetics to help breed fast-growing and muscly lambs.
Mr Digiorgio runs a large number of first-cross Merino Border Leicester ewes and first-cross Dohne Border Leicester ewes that are joined to Glen Devon rams.
At the stud's sale at Two Wells on Monday this week, Mr Digiorgio bought 23 rams to a top of $1900, averaging $1339.
Mr Digiorgio said Glen Devon genetics helped to increase thickness and length in his ewe mob.
"When selecting rams we look for soundness and a quality muscle pattern," he said.
"We sell our lambs over the hooks and we average about 23 kilograms dressedweight at four months of age."
