TONGARA White Suffolk stud achieved a total clearance at its annual on-property ram sale at Netherton on Wednesday last week, despite offering 24 more rams than last year.
The Richards family sold all 116 rams to $2600, averaging $1495.
The top price was paid by KIN Schmaal, Netherton, for lot 45 - a 95.5-kilogram triplet with an Australian Sheep Breeding Value post-weaning weight of 16.7, PW fat of -0.1 and PW eye muscle depth of 2.3.
Lot 45 was described by Elders auctioneer Tom Penna as a good ram visually with very balanced figures.
"The top buyer is a regular buyer who went for the figures and liked the sheep," Mr Penna said. "It was a combination of visual assessment and the data."
Tongara stud principal Leigh Richards agreed the top ram had well-balanced figures.
"Buyers want a low birthweight and good overall numbers," Mr Richards said.
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"He (the top ram) really fit that description"
Mr Richards said the top buyer had been a loyal customer for as long as he had been having on-property sales.
"Kurt Schmaal is renowned for having early sucker lambs so he buys that fixed set type," he said.
Mr Richards said bidding was strong throughout the sale.
"It was steady all the way through, which was good," he said.
Volume buyers included HK Goodall Nominees, Coonalpyn, which bought 16 rams to $1400, averaging $982.
Also putting together large drafts were Reichstein Pastoral, Field, which bought 10 rams to $2100, averaging $1570, and Doug Spry, Netherton, buying seven averaging $1000.
Elders conducted the sale, with Mr Penna carrying out the auctioneering duties.
He said it was pleasing to have sold more rams, while also lifting the sale average by almost $50.
"The Richards are really conscientious about their breeding program," he said.
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