Volume orders secure near total clearance in massive Mullinger Park sale

This helped lift the average at one of the state's largest terminal sire sales by nearly $100.

RELATED: Mullinger Park Poll Dorset makes $4400 in selling marathon

Vendors Brett and Amanda Shepherd sold 329 of 332 Poll Dorset, White Suffolk and Suffolk rams throughout the South East, western Vic and Mallee for a very credible $1328 average.

Despite the lift in average during the sale at the Naracoorte Showground there were still rams for all budgets, including nearly 100 rams at $1000 or less.

The six specially selected Poll Dorsets kicked off the sale, averaging $2533 and included the sale's two highest price rams.

Lot 1,a mid May 2019-drop son of MP 336 made $3000 to Emily and Scott Davidson, Morton stud, Lucindale, but it was several lots where the $3200 sale high was hit.

Also a May 2019 drop, the good shaped Leenala 150 son was knocked down to Elders Naracoorte livestock manager Josh Reeves buying on behalf of the Hole family, Derby Vale Pastoral, Naracoorte.

Poll Dorset flock rams were again most in favour averaging $122 more than the White Suffolks, but the biggest leap in average came for the Suffolks.

Willana Pastoral, Frances, was the sale's biggest buyer with 15 Poll Dorsets to $1700, averaging $1407 and 13 White Suffolks to $1500, averaging $1315.

Glendoon, Binnum, also bought both breeds with 12 Poll Dorsets to $1800, averaging $1350 and six White Suffolks to $1500 three times, averaging $1300.

Stark Grazing, Stewart Range, were top end Poll Dorset buyers with 17 rams to $2200, averaging $1653, while Karana secured 12 White Suffolks for a $1292 average, including six at $1400.

ECH Schinckel & Son, Kybybolite, outlaid the top money in both the White Suffolk and Suffolk drafts in their tally of six rams.

They bid to $2000 for two sons of Baringa 17-W265 in the White Suffolks with good eye muscle figures at 1.0 and 1.2 and paid $1900 for the first of the Suffolks, a son of Allendale 16-1971.

Mr Shepherd said he was "very happy" with the result.

"It was a bit harder with the border but pleasingly everyone got some rams and they were not blown out of the water," he said.

"There is all ranges of prices, that is not a reflection of the quality especially in the White Suffolks but about having enough rams for everyone."

In the past couple of months Mullinger Park has invested heavily in stud sires including a Poll Dorset ram for $17,500 from Valma stud, Tas and a White Suffolk from Rangeview stud, Pipers River, Tas at the Adelaide Elite Ram Sale for $12,000.

Mr Shepherd added to this on sale day stepping out of the ring briefly to secure the highest priced Suffolk at Vic stud, Anden's ram sale for $11,000.

"I am always trying to breed the best rams, when I get more money from my clients I can't help but reinvest it in better rams," he said.

He said he had strong belief in the long-term future of the lamb industry.

"Australia has an elite product and there are not many others that are going to be able to tap into it, not like beef that is a world commodity," he said.

'That's why we are investing in genetics, we are investing in yards and electronic tags to go to the next level."

Elders Naracoorte branch manager, who was also one of the auctioneers, Tom Dennis said it was a great effort to present such a large number of rams and the mild winter had enabled the rams to express their genetic potential.

"They are at least 10 to 12 kilograms heaver than last year and showing all the carcase attributes the Shepherd family have become known for," he said.

He said buyers particularly chased the high figured White Suffolks and were impressed by the Suffolks which he said were a "consistent type".

Elders, Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn Steen and Southern Australian Livestock were joint selling agents.

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