ARDENE Australian White genetics were in strong demand, selling to five states and setting a stud record twice at Mount Torrens on Friday.
In the breakdown, 10 stud rams were offered and sold to $8000 twice, averaging $5500, 68 of 72 flock rams sold under the hammer to $3500, averaging $1730, and 20 stud ewes were offered and sold to $3500, averaging $2425.
There were 44 registered bidders, with buyers on AuctionsPlus being very active to secure more than a third of the catalogue. AuctionsPlus users had 99 bids on 61 of the lots catalogued.
The sale began with the ewe offering, with 14 of the 20 ewes bought on AuctionsPlus and a further three going to a WA buyer over the phone. The top price ewe was lot 1, a June 2019-drop bought for $3500 by Jaylyn Pastoral Co, Kangarilla.
The volume buyer in the ewes was David Omay, Judbury, Tas, who bought eight ewes at an average of $2063.
Related reading: Ardene off to solid start in SA
The stud rams were next through the sale ring, with Ardene achieving its record price at auction of $8000 twice with their stud rams - for lot 23, tag 190025, and lot 25, tag 190074. These were both sons of Tattykeel 150140.
Lot 23 was bought by Lachlan McKenzie, Koraleigh, NSW. Mr McKenzie was the volume buyer on the day, securing eight rams averaging $2663 and three ewes averaging $2500.
Lot 25 was bought by Laurie Chittleborough, Crystal Brook stud, Bridgetown, WA. Crystal Brook secured three stud rams averaging $6667.
Other volume ram buyers included Kenarka Farms, Karoonda, with six to $1750 twice, averaging $1367, and Bill Drew Contracting, Appila, with five to $1500 twice, averaging $1200.
Bill and Emma Drew are repeat Ardene clients, and have been impressed by the Ardene offering.
"We like Australian White sheep for their easy maintenance, good lambing percentages with quick growth," Mr Drew said.
"They are like running cattle and do well in the 250 millimetre to 280mm rainfall country."
Repeat clients Des and Brenton Pudney, Lameroo, bought three rams for an average of $1817.
The Pudneys run about 1300 shedding ewes at Lameroo. They are pleased with the Australian White breed for their ease of management and they prefer them for their frame and structure.
The Pudneys lamb all year round, and Des says the Australian Whites are a "meat producing factory". They say they get very good lambing percentages and they yield well at the abattoirs.
Their lambs have also proven popular online, with Des saying they recently received $320 for five-month-old lambs on AuctionsPlus.
Related reading: Tattykeel Australian White sale hits $53,000 record
Stud principal Bruce Hodgson was happy with the presentation of the line-up.
"It was a good result with our highest average, with sheep selling to five states," he said.
"We are very excited about the breed and continue to invest strongly. We look forward to working with recent world record purchases Tattykeel Magnum and Tattykeel Martina."
Guest auctioneer Miles Pfitzner said interest in the breed was growing.
"SA is starting to recognise the potential of Australian White for their doing ability and meat eating quality," he said.
"Ardene are investing heavily, as seen at the Tattykeel sale last week. Australian Whites are the most exciting breed in Australia at the moment."
The sale was conducted by Elders and Nutrien Ag Solutions, with Elders Mount Pleasant the duty agent.
- Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Sign up here to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.
