Elton Downs White Suffolk sale tops $3400 at Karoonda with full clearance
Summary
The Elton Downs White Suffolk sale achieved a full clearance of all 200 rams offered at Karoonda on Friday last week, with bidding reaching a sale high of $3400 on three separate occasions for an average of $1808. The average represented a $135 increase on the previous year, when 148 rams were offered. The auction marked the stud's milestone tenth annual on-property sale, and the additional 52 rams catalogued did not affect the clearance.
Lot 4, used as a ram lamb within the stud, made $3400 to Sapphire Livestock, Balaklava. The 131-kilogram June 2025-drop son of Gemini 230236 ranked in the top 5 per cent for weaning weight (13.9), post-weaning weight (22.6), PFAT (1.13) and the terminal carcase production index (163.9), and in the top 10 per cent for eye muscle depth (3.89).
Matching that money was Lot 11 to Coleburra, Culburra, a Poll Merino stud that uses White Suffolk rams over its cull ewes for crossbred lamb production. The 129-kilogram June 2025-drop ram, also a Gemini 230236 son, ranked in the top 5 per cent for WWT (13.2), PWWT (21.3), PEMD (4.1) and TCP (171.6).
The third ram at $3400 went to Barnes Ag, sheep producers and contract harvesters from Lowan Vale, near Bordertown. Lot 36 weighed 120 kilograms and was a July 2025-drop Boree Park 231132 son ranking in the top 20 per cent for PWWT (18.2), PEMD (3.4) and PFAT (0.63). Spence Dix & Co conducted the sale.
Key Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Rams offered |
200 |
| Rams sold |
200 (full clearance) |
| Top price, reached three times |
$3400 |
|
Average price |
$1808 |
|
Increase on the previous year's average |
$135 |
|
Rams offered in the previous year |
148 |
|
Weight of the $3400 Lot 4 |
131 kg |
|
Sale staged |
10th annual on-property auction |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What did the Elton Downs White Suffolk sale top at?
Bidding reached a sale high of $3400 on three separate occasions. The overall average was $1808 across the 200 rams offered.
How many rams sold?
All 200 rams offered found new homes, giving a full clearance. An extra 52 rams were catalogued compared with the previous year, when 148 were offered.
How did the average compare with the previous year?
The $1808 average represented a $135 increase on the previous year. That lift was achieved while offering 52 more rams than the 148 catalogued in the previous sale.
Which rams made the $3400 top price?
Lot 4 sold to Sapphire Livestock, Balaklava, Lot 11 to Coleburra, Culburra, and Lot 36 to Barnes Ag, Lowan Vale. Lots 4 and 11 were both June 2025-drop sons of Gemini 230236, while Lot 36 was a July 2025-drop Boree Park 231132 son.
What figures did the top-priced rams record?
Lot 4 weighed 131 kilograms and ranked in the top 5 per cent for weaning weight, post-weaning weight, PFAT and the terminal carcase production index. Lot 11 weighed 129 kilograms and also ranked in the top 5 per cent across WWT, PWWT, PEMD and TCP. Lot 36 weighed 120 kilograms and ranked in the top 20 per cent for PWWT, PEMD and PFAT.
Who were the volume buyers?
Correll Biz Farming, Arthurton, and JM Farley, Peake, each finished with nine rams, averaging $1377 and $1111 respectively. Four buyers took eight rams each: Zacker Pastoral, Tintinara, at $2050; CLRS Trading Trust, Rhynie, at $2275; DP&VL Jacobs, Coonalpyn, at $1625; and Glenryden Proprietors, Kybunga, at $2250.
Why do buyers use White Suffolk rams over Merino ewes?
One buyer at the sale, a Poll Merino stud, uses White Suffolk rams over its cull ewes for crossbred lamb production. The breed is used as a terminal sire, which is reflected in the terminal carcase production index figures recorded by the top-priced rams.
Who conducted the sale?
Spence Dix & Co conducted the sale at Karoonda. It was the stud's tenth annual on-property auction.
