AN online bidding war between studs from Victoria, NSW and Western Australia resulted in a new record top price of $10,600 for a White Suffolk ram at the Pepperton Farms Poll Dorset and White Suffolk stud sale.
Hosted by the Trewick family on-property at Elmore on October 16, the ram sale and stage one ewe dispersal drew 65 registered buyers in the sale barn and was interfaced with AuctionsPlus.
A total of 43 Poll Dorset rams sold from the 50 offered to a top of $3600 and average of $1386 while 28 from 50 White Suffolk rams sold to a top of $10,600 and average of $1093.
In the ewe dispersal, 110 Poll Dorset ewes sold to a top price of $4600 with an average of $654 while 44 White Suffolk ewes sold to a top price of $3200 and an average of $489.
A syndicate of Craig Mitchell, Gemini Prime Lamb stud, Wenerth, Vic, Andrew Heinrich, Ellamatta Pastoral, Kangaroo Island, and the Funke family, Bundara Downs, Bordertown, SA, purchased the record priced ram, Lot 51, which ranked in the top one per cent of the breed for muscling, LEQ (lamb eating quality) and TCP (terminal carcase production).
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These traits combined with low birthweight, positive fat, lean meat yield and high growth.
Sired by Felix 211239, the ram had already been used in the Pepperton stud with lambs on the ground.
Mr Mitchell said the mix of superior data and ram’s carcase quality and muscle impressed the syndicate.
“The ram will go into an AI centre for semen collection and then to Bundara Downs,” he said.
In the stage one ewe dispersal, Lot 109, a Poll Dorset ewe ranking in the top one per cent for post eye weaning muscle depth and terminal carcase production sold for the top price of $4600 to Lachie Kelly, Ivadene and LSK studs, Hexham, Vic.
Mr Kelly runs 1200 ewes of three breeds across two studs and has had good success using semen from Pepperton 303/20.
He also paid the second top price of $3000 in the Poll Dorset ewe offering.
“I didn’t want to miss a good opportunity,” he said.
Repeat client Linda Fawns, Saber Sheep Stud, Deniliquin, paid the top price in the Poll Dorset ram offering of $3600 for Lot 4, which ranked in the top one per cent of the breed for post weaning weight and terminal carcase production.
The spring 2023 drop ram also ranked in the top five per cent of all Poll Dorset’s in the country for muscle and this combined with a low to moderate birthweight.
“This ram has exceptional weaning and post weaning weight and really good eye muscle.
"We have bought Pepperton rams before and they have performed well.
"We also use a lot of Pepperton semen in our AI program so this was a great opportunity,” Linda said.
“The Trewicks have contributed a lot to the Meat Elite Group, so it is a sad day to see (the ewe dispersal) but I understand it is time for the next phase of their life.”
The sale was officially opened by Meat Elite president Dale Price who paid tribute to the Trewick family for their 25 years of progeny testing of young rams, participating in taste trials, and their on farm raw data collection contributing to the standards for Australian Sheep Breeding Values.
In 2024, Roger Trewick is marking 30 years of breeding Poll Dorsets, 20 years of White Suffolks and 60 years of breeding stud sheep.
The second stage of the Pepperton ewe dispersal will be held in March 2025 and the final sale of rams and 2024 drop ewes in October 2025.
Pepperton stud co-principal Dianne Trewick was pleased with the sale result, saying purchasers included many new and repeat clients from NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Kangaroo Island.
“It was good to see the tops of the White Suffolk rams going to well-known studs,” Mrs Trewick said.
“It has been a challenging year season wise in the districts where our clients come from so it was a pleasing result given the current market.
“Sucker lamb producers were chasing growth and muscle for high weaning weights.
"There was also some interest in the LEQ which we have been concentrating on and have many high figures in.
“The ewe top price of $4600 was above expectations with new clients buying.
"Dale Price, Majardah stud, South Australia, bought the top price White Suffolk ewe at $3200.”
Greg Dean, Stawell, and Simon Dean, Camperdown, purchased three White Suffolk rams to a top of $2000 for their prime lamb enterprise at Landsborough.
Long-time clients of Pepperton, they were looking for high growth, muscling, moderate birthweight, and fat above -0.5.
The family runs 1200 CentrePlus Merino ewes and join to Pepperton White Suffolks rams to turn off trade lambs.
“This year we ran out of lucerne so turned the mixed sex lambs off at three to four months of age averaging 37kg liveweight on AuctionsPlus to return $133,” Simon said.
“We selected rams today on good post weaning weights, eye muscle and a bit more negative on fat.
“It was tremendous value buying here today with the quality of the stock.”
Andrew Gillett, Wunnamurra Poll Dorset stud, Jerilderie, NSW, outlaid $3000 for a Poll Dorset ram ranking in the top one per cent for LEQ and top five per cent for TCP.
Among the volume buyers were Wagga Regional Livestock with seven Poll Dorset rams to a top of $2200, Jonathon Nield, Moama, three Poll Dorset rams to $1400, Ian Gilmore, Oberon, NSW, a White Suffolk ram for $6200 and four ewes to $500, Tom Bull, Sonning Partnership, Holbrook, NSW, 21 Poll Dorset ewes to a top of $2200, Craig Wilson Livestock, Wagga Wagga, with 18 ewes to a top of $600, and Ashlea Martin, Kinpanial, Vic, taking home 11 ewes.
Selling agents were Ray White GTSM and Elders with James Brown, Michael Glasser and Ryan Bajada auctioneering.
Auctioneer Michael Glasser said buyers responded to the better end of the ewes while commercial producers underpinned the rams seeking weaning weights, growth, muscle, fat cover and eating quality.
AuctionsPlus drew 157 logins, 21 active bidders, 83 lots were sold online, and there were 2818 catalogue views.
Pepperton also has rams available for private treaty and visit www.pepperton.com.au for more details.
