SALE SUMMARY
2020 2019
Stud rams
Offered 6 7
Sold 6 7
Top $3600 $3800
Av $2866 $2886
Flock rams
Offered 119 119
Sold 116 119
Top $2400 $3000
Av $1612 $1766
AFTER a run of red hot ram sales, Wrattenbullie Poll Dorset stud's 2020 sale at the Naracoorte Showgrounds on Monday catered for buyers of all budgets.
The stud ram result nearly mirrored 2019, with six averaging $2866.
But the major change came in Rod, Gayle, Brad and Alana Davies' flock ram average, which was back $154 from the previous two years' lofty heights.
Of these, 116 of 119 well-presented lots averaged $1612.
Largely repeat buyers from the South East and western Vic chased the early lots beyond $2000 but there were also rams at $800 to $1000 in the latter stages of the sale.
The three passed in lots were sold within minutes of the final hammer falling.
The sale's $3600 top price came at lot 1 for a May 2019-drop sired by Kentish Downs 170472.
The long, growthy ram had a post-weaning weight figure of 16.6, and eye muscle depth figure of 1.2.
It was bought by Glenn and Kylie Davis, Sutherland Hills stud, Dergholm, Vic, who sell about 60 rams annually and have bought several Wrattenbullie rams in the past five years.
"It is a good type, good depth about it and what we are looking for," Mr Davis said.
Another son of Kentish Downs 170472 made $3100 at lot 4 to CW&HM Cother, Binnum.
The majority of the offering were April to June 2019-drops but there was good buying in the younger July-August-drops.
Glendon Vineyards, Padthaway, bought five rams for a $2240 average, including the $2400 equal-highest price flock ram.
Also stretching their budget to $2400 was Kenlen Seeds, Koppamurra, with their four rams averaging $2300.
Leading the volume buyers, Fry Family Farms, Frances, put together nine rams for a $1078 average.
Scullion Farming, Apsley, Vic, took home six rams to $2000, averaging $1783, and Limestone Ridge Estate, Coonawarra, bought five rams to $2200, averaging $2020.
Wrattenbullie stud's Brad Davies was pleased with the result in such an uncertain year and being late in the ram selling calendar.
"We expected the average to drop off, it was good everyone got a pick of what they wanted," he said.
Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen auctioneer Josh Manser said while the average was back from the "extreme highs", it was a good sale for both the Davies family, as well as buyers, with the value giving them incentive to return in future years.
"They couldn't all be in the first pen but the quality was right through," he said.
PPHS and Southern Australian Livestock conducted the sale with Mr Manser and Mat MacDonald the auctioneers.
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