A STRUCTURALLY correct Poll Dorset with tremendous meat content topped the massive offering at the Day families'' 49th annual on-property ram sale last Friday at Bordertown.
During the marathon four-hour sale, 357 of 436 Poll Dorset, White Suffolk, Suffolk and maternal composites offered by Lachy and Lou Day, Days Whiteface stud and Alastair and Jayne Day, Allendale stud, found homes for a $2343 average- up $271 on the 2020 sale average.
Rams went to three states with many buyers clients of the Day families for decades.
Like many sales this season, AuctionsPlus was strong, with 164 bids on 62 lots. These online bidders secured 38 rams.
Alastair said there had been good pre-sale enquiry on the lot 36 sale topper, a son of Derrynock 180055, from a number of breeders looking for a "meaty, early maturing ram".
"He weighed a lot more than he looked so he must be full of meat," Alastair said.
The successful buyer was Kreeside stud manager Peter Williams, buying on behalf of the Mount Torrens stud owned by Shirley Willison.
"We bought this one because he is a complete outcross to the one we bought three years ago (for $17,000), his eye muscle figure is really good and he had a good back end," Mr Williams said.
Lot 39- also by Derrynock 180055- made $11,000 to Ken Walker, Kenlorne stud, Beachport.
Fifteen stud Poll Dorsets from Allendale averaged $5500, while 76 of 118 Poll Dorset flock rams averaged $1602.
Willswood Farms, Bordertown, secured the $3200 top price Poll Dorset flock ram - the first in the category to enter the ring at lot 203.
Bergan Park, Keith, put together 11 Poll Dorsets to $2800, averaging $1727.
Binalong Pastoral, also from Keith, made the most of the good buying with 11 rams all at the $1000 base price.
For the second year in a row, Paxton stud, Western Flat outlaid the top price in the White Suffolk offering from Days Whiteface stud.
It was no surprise to many that lot 16, a June 2020 drop, made the $16,000 highest price- slightly less than $19,000 high in 2020.
"He is a big, long ram, with good figures and plenty of hindquarter," Paxton stud's Martin Harvey said.
"We have been buying here for a long time. I am pleased with where our White Suffolks are so if it ain't broke we will stick with it."
Paxton stud added to their sire battery with an $8000 Allendale Poll Dorset ram.
Ian and Sue Carr, Castle Camps, Keith, bought lot 21, for $15,000.
The June 2020 drop also had exceptional figures, including an eye muscle depth of 3.1
Commercial buyers also upped the ante, bidding up to $3400 for their picks in the flock rams.
In a strong sale, 141 of 168 White Suffolks averaged $2118 but there were also plenty of rams at the $1000 base price.
Brooklea Trading, Bordertown, led the bulk buyers with 12 lots to $2600 twice, averaging $1833, while Creston Partners, Keith secured nine rams in the top end of the catalogue to $3200, averaging $2756.
Two impressive stud Suffolk rams both ranking in the top 20pc for the SR5index, a measure of meat eating quality, soared to a $11,000 high in Allendale's offering on Friday.
The first,lot 5, was a son of Allendale's $21,500 ram which made a national breed record at the stud's 2019 sale.
The July 2020 drop which had a Terminal Carcase Production index of 135.2 sold to first-time Allendale buyers, Marcus and Deanna Kassebaum, Mon Reve stud, Kimba.
At lot 12, Cameron McCallum, Willochra Props, Melrose, whose family have been clients for more than 30 years, paid the same money for a growthy ram sired by Allendale 190389.
"He is a nice long ram with good structure and good figures," he said.
In a ripper result, all 13 of Allendale's stud Suffolks averaged $6576 highlighting the respect fellow breeders have for the nation's oldest Suffolk stud.
Demand for Suffolk flock rams was far more limited though with 39 of 71 flock rams averaging $1174.
Gateway Livestock, Dubbo, NSW, secured lot 315, for the highest price in the draft of $2000 in the sole purchase.
There were no huge orders but Artmore and Partners, Culburra, bought six rams between $1000 and $1200.
Days Whiteface studs' maternal composite rams rounded out the sale with 57 of 81 averaging $1665.
Hillcrest Pastoral Company, Lucindale, dominated the bidding with 15 rams for a $1393 average.
The Baker Group, Furner, averaged $1869 for their 13 rams paying to a $2700 high.
Allendale stud principal Alastair Day said he was very pleased to have so many loyal clients coming back each year but said they were just "missing a few" buyers in the Poll Dorsets and Suffolk flock rams to clear them all.
"There are lots of rams around and lots of options in all sorts of shapes, sizes and wool types," he said.
Days Whiteface stud principal Lachy Day said he was very pleased with the line-up and the result.
"Nearly all parts of the sale were similar to last year but the top end White Suffolk flock rams and composites were stronger than last year which was good to see," he said.
Nutrien SA stud stock manager Gordon Wood said SA stud breeders were able to buy some high quality stud rams well.
He also noted some great value for flock ram buyers, especially in the Suffolks where 16 lots sold for just $1000 each.
"There would be some commercial producers out there who have that perception that this sale is going to be too dear for them, it is high time those people jump back in and have another look as there is some really good value here," he said.
Elders stud stock manager Tony Wetherall said the offering matched the reputation the Day families have earned over many decades in the seedstock industry.
"The depth of quality was exceptional, it would line up as good as anything around Australia," he said.
Elders, Nutrien and Spence Dix & Co were joint selling agents with Mr Wetherall, Mr Wood and Jono Spence waving their gavels.
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