BIDDING reached five figures for an Illoura White Suffolk ram with considerable presence at the 31st South Australian White Suffolk Foundation Breeders' Invitation Stud Sale at Moorlands on Wednesday afternoon.
Weighing in at 138 kilograms, the AI son from the $29,000 Ella Matta 180100 sire, was bought for $10,000 by fellow White Suffolk breeder and the Ella Matta sire's joint owner Steve Funke, Bundara Downs, Western Flat.
The top-priced ram had a birthweight of 0.3, 11.4weaning weight, and post-weaning figures of 18.9 weight, 0.20 fat, 2.6 eye muscle depth and had a terminal carcase production index of 152.
Buyer Steve Funke said the ram's presence, correctness and type were what caught the eye.
"The Ella Matta sire is definitely breeding above himself," he said.
"I think this son has a lot to offer and was too good to let go."
"Within our stud he was one of the standout sons of the Ella Matta sire," Illoura stud principal and top-price seller Allan Piggott said.
"He had good figures, good balance and an excellent carcase carried right through from a smooth shoulder to a good back end."
Bundara Downs, hosts Illoura and Anna Villa, Weetulta, were the participating studs in the foundation sale, offering 15 rams and 75 stud ewes.
Much of the bidding came from AuctionsPlus, with six of the rams sold at an average of $4917 and 41 of the ewes sold to a $452 average during the auction.
While the clearance wasn't exceptional, the participating stud principals still thought it was a reasonable result given other impending White Suffolk stud dispersals.
"The buyers were selective and we didn't have as many buyers attend in person than we normally would," Illoura stud principal Allan Piggott said.
"There are other opportunities for buying ewes at the moment, with studs dispersing, so it was definitely a buyers' market."
Steve Funke agreed that while the clearance was tough, the result was good considering the circumstances.
Mr Funke also said the lineup was one of the most consistent offered, saying people could have been mistaken for thinking they were from one vendor.
Illoura also sold the second-highest price ram at $5000, with Bundara Downs selling the third-highest at $4500 to She-Oak Lodge stud, Mount Hope.
The Ferguson family of Anna Villa sold the top-priced stud ewe for $800 to Windy Hill White Suffolk stud, Strathalbyn.
The ewe had figures of 0.3 for BWT, 9.9 WWT, 15.7 PWWT, -0.39 PFAT, 1.6 PEMD and 140 TCP.
Volume ewe buyers all came from AuctionsPlus, with SL Morgan, Yendora White Suffolks, Macarthur, Vic, buying 17 ewes to $550, averaging $425, Elders Minlaton taking seven ewes to $700, averaging $464, and AWN Horsham purchasing five to $550, averaging $670.
FP Nevins & Co, Inglewood, Vic, bought six ewes to $650, averaging $475, and a ram for $3000.
The three studs in the Foundation Breeders' Sale are holding their on-property sales in the coming two weeks, with Illoura today (Thursday, September 9, Bundara Downs on September 17 and Anna Villa on September 23).
Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Sign up here to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.
