Buyers were treated to breed-leading data at the combined Galaxy Park and Fingerpost stud's 35th on-property White Suffolk sale at Monarto on Tuesday last week.
The Gale families offered slightly more numbers - auctioning off 100 - but cleared exactly the same number of rams as their 2020 sale - 87, with a $48 increase in the sale average and a $200 increase on the top priced ram achieved twice.
The two top-price rams were both sons of homebred sire Galaxy Park 180335.
Lot 3, tag GP86, had Australian Sheep Breeding Values of a 0.5 birthweight, a 19.8 post-weaning wt, PFAT of -1, PW eye muscle depth of 1.5 and a terminal carcase production index figure of 149.3.
It was bought for $2800 by Inglebrae, Callington.
The other equal top price ram was lot 5, tag GP274, which had a 0.46BWT, 17.7 PWWT, -0.96 PFAT, 1.6 PEMD and $146.7 TCP 146.7.
Buyers L&D Herbig, Mount Barker, also secured a second son of GP180335 for the equal second top price of $2400.
The popularity of the GP180335 sons was highlighted with lot 2, tag GP32 also selling for $2400 to the Duenclin stud, Karoonda.
Duenclin stud principal Clinton Huxtable inspected the ram early on sale morning and operated via phone to secure his selected new stud sire.
GP32's figures were 0.5BWT, 17.32PWWT, -0.77 PFAT, 1.83EMD and a TCP of 146.8.
Mr Huxtable said he liked the ram for its clean points, meatiness, good length and width, smooth shoulders for easy lambing and a good mix of ASBV's.
"This ram will be very useful in our breeding program and importantly should breed well with our ewes," he said.
Nutrien auctioneer Leo Redden, at the opening of the sale, described the offering "top-end commercial White Suffolk rams that are easy lambing, high growth with the ability to finish and sell as suckers".
Stud principal Barrie Gale thanked everyone for a real team effort leading up to the sale.
"I was very pleased with the condition of the rams and it was good to see return and some new buyers," he said.
A repeat buyer that knew the performance of the Galaxy Park rams was Kurra Wirra Pastoral Co, Hamilton, Vic, which bought 18 rams, selected on its behalf by Chad Burbridge, Ettrick.
Mr Burbridge was selecting for low birthweight with correct shoulder structure for easy lambing to go over Merino ewes.
Brenton Launer, Ettrick a repeat buyer for more than 10 years was also selecting for low birthweight and quick growth, securing five rams, averaging $1240.
He mates 5.5-year-old Merino ewes to White Suffolk lambing in March/April.
After a very bad season early he has already sold this years lambs through Murray Bridge saleyards.
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Among the volume buyers were Handley Pastoral, Coonalpyn, with nine rams to average $1311, bought by Paul Keynes, Elders.
"I selected rams with low birthweight for easy lambing to go over young maiden ewes," he said.
KD&AM Dinning, Bordertown, bought seven rams, averaging $971, and Raminian, Murray Bridge, bought six rams to average $900.
The Gale Families once again donated the proceeds of a bingo ram to the McGrath Foundation.
This ram is drawn out of a bingo barrel at the end of the sale and the value of that ram is donated.
"Galaxy Park rams are a true demonstration of why buy White Suffolk rams," Mr Redden said.
"Well made and easy lambing."
The sale was conducted by Nutrien Murray Bridge.
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