REPEAT buyers got behind Mullinger Park stud's huge offering of terminal rams ensuring a near total clearance of more than 300 lots at the stud's 19th annual auction at the Naracoorte Showgrounds on Thursday last week.
Stud principals Brett and Amanda Shepherd enjoyed not only an exceptional clearance but a modest lift in average across all three breeds on offer.
In the breakdown, 174 of 184 Poll Dorsets topped at $3000 and averaged $1636- up $45 on 2021's sale; 94 White Suffolks sold of 96 offered for a $1391 average- up $40 and 27 of 30 Suffolks averaged $1159.
This was up $76.
Most of the bidding came from Mid and Lower South East prime lamb producers but rams also sold from the Mallee to Kangaroo Island and across to Horsham, Vic.
The auction kicked off with the six specially selected Poll Dorsets which averaged $2700 , but it was a few pens later when John, Josie and Steven Hole, Derby-Vale, Naracoorte, took lot 17 and 19 at the $3000 sale high.
Both May 2021 drops, one was a son of the $26,000 ram, Aberdeen 18-532 while the other was by homebred sire Mullinger Park 19-270.
They had solid eye muscle depth figures of 1.0 and 1.3.
The successful sale capped off a strong selling season for Mullinger Park who had already sold the tops of their drops, including the Royal Adelaide Show supreme short wool ram which was a wild card entry into the Elite British Breed sale. It made $10,000 to Camborn stud, NSW.
The Poll Dorsets easily sold the best with several volume buyers going head-to-head for their picks.
Stark Grazing, Naracoorte, bought 16 Poll Dorsets in the top end of the catalogue to $2800 twice, averaging $2250.
LS Johnson & Son, Naracoorte, secured 18 rams to $2800 for an $1861 average.
Most buyers came to the sale for only one breed but ECH Schinckel, Kybybolite, secured the highest price White Suffolks- two of them at $1900 and also took home the top Suffolk rams for $1800.
These White Suffolks were among the first drop of Rangeview 19-98 - a Tas bred ram bought at the 2020 Elite Sale- which has left its mark on the stud.
In total the Schinckels bought eight White Suffolks averaging $1788 and five Suffolks averaging $1720.
Willana Pastoral, Frances, also bought two breeds with seven Poll Dorsets to $1800 multiple times and eight White Suffolks to the same money.
Pannell Farming, Loxton, found some great value in the Suffolks buying 10 rams for a $1170 average.
Mr Shepherd was ecstatic with the high clearance rate across the three breeds and support from their clients.
"It is not about the price but everyone getting rams for their own budget," he said.
"People are all different sizes in farming, we respect that and that is why we put up the numbers that we do."
He was excited about the stud's future with several new stud sires bought this year and a couple of home bred sires retained.
"Will will be coming home next year so we will probably try and ramp it up a bit and present them, looking at the the ram lambs for next year they look really promising," he said.
Elders Naracoorte branch manager Tom Dennis- who was one of the auctioneers- said the 60 registered bidders and strong bidding was "vindication" of Mullinger Park's breeding program.
"Brett has focused on structure, type and correctness with an eye to figures but not at all costs," he said.
"I think that is starting to pay dividends when people get their rams back in the next year and have a look at what else they have his sheep are holding up."
Fellow auctioneer Mat MacDonald from SAL Livestock said it was a "pretty good" result.
"I know the sales have been strong but with the volume of rams it was one of our better clearance years," he said.
Mr MacDonald said the demand throughout the catalogue was credit to the Shepherd family's continual investment in top end genetics which has led to a more consistent line of rams.
"There was quality all the way through and rams still making $1700 to $1800 at the back end," he said.
"Some of the money Brett has put in he is starting to get back."
Elders, PPHS and SAL Livestock conducted the sale with Mr Dennis, Mr MacDonald and Josh Manser rotating on the rostrum.
