WHITE Suffolk rams sold to $2600 twice at Anna Villa stud, Weetulta, today for the Ferguson family.
All up the stud offered 138 rams, with 121 sold under the hammer, averaging $1065.
This included 107 of 117 White Suffolk rams selling at a $1118 average; 11 of 14 Suffolks offered sold to $900, averaging $782; four Suffolk-White Suffolk rams offered but did not sell, while three 2017-drop Suffolks were offered with one sold to $600.
A handful of rams also sold after the sale.
Stud principal Anthony Ferguson said the sale "exceeded expectations", with both a higher top price and overall sale average.
"The lamb industry may be ticking along well, but with no rain in areas, we did notice a few of our northern clients not in attendance," he said
"But we did have a few new clients, which was a positive."
Last year, 101 of 149 rams sold to $2300, averaging $1005.
The two top price rams sold to repeat buyers, the Young family, River Park Farming, Butler Bridge.
Samuel and Wayne Young only bought the two rams, both sons of Bundara Downs 7828.
"We like Anna Villa rams for their long and deep bodies, good figures, and they do well in our marginal country," Samuel said.
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One at lot 2 was part of the stud's show team and originally been offered at the foundation sale earlier in the month.
The June 2018-drop twin held breeding values of 10.6 weaning weight, 17.3 post-weaning weight, -0.4 PW fat and 1.3 PW eye muscle depth. It also scored 202 on the Carcase Plus index and 140.5 on the Total Carcase Production index.
While the fellow sale-topper at lot 4, also a June 2018-drop, recorded figures of 12.7WWT, 18.2PWWT, -0.5PW fat and 1.7PWEMD. It also scored an impressive 215 on the CP index and 140.6 on the TCP index.
In honour of the late Don Ferguson, lot 19 was offered as a charity sale for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
It sold at $1400 to Peter Hill, Hill Livestock, who was operating on behalf of a handful of buyers at the sale.
He bought 39 head in total and put a strong floor in the market.
In the Suffolk section, Wonstrow Farming, Maitland, bought six to $900, averaging $783, while GP McDonald & Son, Bute, bought the one 2017-drop ram, along with nine White Suffolks and one Suffolk to average $782.
Elders and Landmark conducted the sale, with Elders' Tony Wetherall and Landmark's Richard Miller sharing the auctioneer duties.
Mr Wetherall said the paddock-run rams had come up well and were well supported by return buyers.
"The commercial producers know how the genetics perform and bid strongly right through the catalogue," he said.
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