Sale summary
Allendale
Poll Dorset stud rams: 14 offered and sold to $11,000, av $4785
Poll Dorset flock rams: 110 offered and sold to $3000, av $1561
Suffolk stud rams: 15 offered and sold to $12,000, av $5366
Suffolk flock rams: 51 offered, 42 sold to $3200, av $1438
Days Whiteface
White Suffolk stud rams: 13 offered and sold to $18,000, av$5153
White Suffolk flock rams: 138 offered and sold to $3200, av $2086
Maternal composite rams: 77 offered, 48 sold to $2800, av $1102
A LOYAL following of stud and commercial buyers, many who have been clients for decades, ensured the Day families' 48th annual sale last Friday at Bordertown was also one of its strongest.
This was despite them offering their biggest ever catalogue of rams.
In a more than four hour selling marathon, Lachy and Lou Day, Days Whiteface stud and Alastair and Jayne Day, Allendale stud sold 380 of 418 rams across the four breeds for a $2072 average.
Thirteen White Suffolk stud rams found homes in three states for a $5153 average, including the lot 16 sale topper which made $18,000.
This was the second highest price Days Whiteface stud has received for a White Suffolk.
We have bought plenty of rams from the Days, you know what you are getting as they breed true to type.
- Martin Harvey, Paxton stud
The June 2019 drop, Days Whiteface 7TW, was a son of a ram sold in last year's sale to WA for $7000.
Buyer Martin Harvey, Paxton stud, Western Flat said the ram was "well-balanced" and "chock full of meat".
"We have bought plenty of rams from the Days, you know what you are getting as they breed true to type," he said.
"If he can breed rams that look like him we will be very pleased."
Paxton stud also outlaid $8000 for a very thick Poll Dorset ram from Allendale stud which had a terminal carcase production index of 140.3.
Baringa stud, Oberon, NSW, secured lot 18, a high performance White Suffolk ram which had been used as a ram lamb for $7000.
For the same money Moorella Ag Holdings, Byawatha, Vic, secured lot 15 through AuctionsPlus- a ram which was sired by last year's $10,500 top price White Suffolk.
Bids came thick and fast for the White Suffolk flock rams with a total clearance of 138 head for a record $2086 average- up more than $400 on 2019.
SN&LJ Longbottom, Kalos Park, Bordertown, was the volume White Suffolk buyer with 13 rams, as well as six Suffolk rams for a $1300 average.
Egremont Pastoral Company, Lucindale, secured eight White Suffolks for a $2050 average.
"We were really happy with the good carcase sheep with sound legs, good back ends and good figures but that average was amazing," Lachy Day said.
Buyers were more selective in Days Whiteface stud's maternal composite offering which had grown by more than 20 rams on last year.
Forty eight of 77 rams sold for a $1102 average.
The Baker Group, Furner, paid the $2800 top price twice in the category in their 13 rams for a $1200 average.
TW&EN Mackereth, Padthaway, was the other big maternal composite buyer with 12 rams to $2200, averaging $1192.
A well-muscled ram, Allendale 190257, which had a high post weaning growth figure of +18.2 made the $12,000 highest price in the Suffolks.
Buyer Lachie Kelly, LSK stud, Hexham, Vic, said he was a repeat buyer at the stud due to Allendale's outstanding combination of "performance, type and structure".
"257 is in the top 1 per cent for weaning weight across all terminal breeds, which gives us a serious prime lamb sire with all of the benefits of the Suffolk breed," he said.
"We see sourcing the best genetics available as a fundamental investment for our flock ram clients."
Interest was also strong in Allendale stud's Poll Dorset stud offering with these 14 rams averaging $4785.
Tallageira Pastoral Company, Frances, paid the $11,000 highest price for a May 2019 drop sired by Allendale 160326 and out of a Derrynock 130183 daughter.
Nicholls Farming, Hamilton, Vic, were easily the sale's biggest buyer with 24 Poll Dorsets for a $1067 average.
LS Johnson & Son, Naracoorte, secured eight Poll Dorsets for a $1475 average.
Allendale stud principal Alastair Day was very pleased with the average and high clearance rates.
"At the start (of COVID-19) we didn't really know what would happen but the stud sheep particularly turned out to be excellent with a lot of clients having faith in our judgement of the rams or being able to attend themselves," he said.
"It is rewarding for us to see them willing to give some of their good lamb prices back in their flock ram buying."
Elders, Nutrien and Spence Dix & Co were joint selling agents with Tom Dennis, Gordon Wood and Jono Spence the auctioneers.
Mr Spence said the highlight of the sale was the great draft of White Suffolk flock rams which sold mostly to long-time clients.
While Allendale also enjoyed some high prices he said buyers had plenty of opportunity to secure Poll Dorsets and Suffolks at great value.
Mr Spence attributed the Day families enduring success to the "quality on offer and integrity of the people and livestock".
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