Collectively shedding breeders achieved a lift in overall average in WA
Shedding breeds recorded solid results for the 2024 ram selling season.
Collectively breeders achieved a lift in overall average, but like most other sheep breeds this season, ram numbers offered and sold were down on last year.
While values aren't at the heights of 2022, sheep producers demonstrated their willingness to continue investing in their shedding sires going forward.
All up, 1155 Dorper, White Dorper, Australian Whites, Kojak, UltraWhite, SheepMaster, Western White and Australian Cleanskin shedding rams were offered by 26 breeders at 19 WA sales this selling season.
A solid clearance of 919 rams sold at auction for an 80 per cent clearance rate which grossed $2,302,200 at a combined overall average of $2505.
This represented a jump of $135 in average compared to last year, when 966 of 1269 shedding breed rams sold at auction (76pc) for a gross of $2,289,500 and an average of $2370.
The clearance rate improved four per cent, however the number of rams offered dropped by 114 rams and the number of rams sold fell by 47 head.
UltraWhite/UltraWhite Composite
The UltraWhite breed were among the headline acts, with strong values and featuring the $17,000 top-priced ram across all sheep breeds.
UltraWhite and UltraWhite composite rams were offered in five sales and were again the biggest shedding breed in terms of number of rams offered and sold, gross takings and the highest collective average for multiple vendors.
All up 427 UltraWhite (and composite) rams were offered with 335 rams selling under the hammer at 78pc clearance rate, averaging $2810 and returning a gross of $941,200.
Like other breeds, rams numbers offered and sold were down on last year equating to 97 fewer rams offered and 40 less rams sold at auction.
Returns were also down on last year with the gross falling by $217,050 with the average slipping $279.
The Dawson family's Hillcroft Farms on-property sale at Popanyinning in October was again the largest sale by a fair stretch with 258 rams offered and 196 sold for a gross of $665,600 and recording the $17,000 season top-priced ram.
It was also the highest averaging sale for the breed at $3396, which was down $580 on the stud's 2023 sale where 290 rams were offered and 227 sold at an average of $3976.
The next biggest UltraWhite sale was the Ditchburn family's Golden Hill sale at Kukerin where they sold 74 of 100 rams at auction for the second highest average of $2139, which was back $1185 on last year.
The Cheetham family's Cheetara sale at Narembeen was the next biggest sale, selling 62 of 64 UltraWhite and composite rams (97pc) for an average of $1853 to buck the trend and improve their average by a healthy $582 on last year.
This season's $17,000 top-priced Hillcroft Farms ram was purchased by Nathan Ditchburn, RW & JM Ditchburn, Golden Hill stud, Kukerin.
The twin born May 2023 drop ram that displayed Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) of -0.26 birthweight (BWT), 6.63 weaning weight (WWT), 10.48 post weaning weight (PWWT), 0.86 post weaning fat (PFAT), 2.65 post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD) and a Terminal Carcase Production (TCP) index of 136.08.
Hillcroft Farms sold the three top-priced rams for shedding breeds with the $11,600 second top-priced ram purchased by Justin Bammann, Cummins, South Australia.
It was an August 2023-drop HFPlus ram born a triplet, exhibiting ASBV figures including -0.18 BWT, 6.61 WWT, 9.69 PWWT, 1.09 PFAT, 2.00 PEMD and a 127.13 TCP index.
The $9200 equal third top-priced rams were purchased by regular buyer Ashley Wiese, Yarranabee Holdings, Highbury, for a twin ram born in August 2023 and displayed ASBVs of -0.14 BWT, 7.51 WWT, 11.40 PWWT, 1.21 PFAT, 3.11 PEMD and a 140.02 TCP index.
The other $9200 ram was purchased online by Sally Keen, Spring Valley Trading Co Pty Ltd, Bracknell, Tasmania.
The June 2023 drop ram was a single birth and had ASBV measurements of 0.00 BWT, 9.30 WWT, 13.39 PWWT, 1.80 PFAT, 3.61 PEMD and a 142.23 TCP index.
SheepMaster
The SheepMaster breed enjoyed another solid ram selling season headed by its strong clearance from marginally reduced number of rams offered.
SheepMasters were the next biggest shedding breed with 186 rams offered at four fixtures with 168 rams selling at auction for a 90pc clearance rate, an 11pc improvement from last year.
Rams offered were only down by four rams on last year but breeders managed to buck the overall trend and collectively sell 18 more rams at auction this year.
However SheepMaster returns continue to decline from the heights of 2022.
This year SheepMaster sales grossed $387,250 and averaged $2305 to represent falls of $111,450 and $1020 respectively from last year.
In 2023, 190 SheepMaster rams were offered with 150 rams selling at auction for a 79pc clearance and grossing $498,700 and averaged $3325.
The biggest SheepMaster sale in terms of numbers offered and sold was the Blackwood on-property sale at Kulikup.
In this sale 75 rams sold under the hammer from 78 offered to the breed's third top price of $4600 and average of $2263, which was back $198 on last year's average of $2461.
The next biggest sale in terms of numbers was the Rainbow Rest stud, Walkaway, at its Carnamah sale which offered and sold all 50 rams for a 100pc clearance at the second highest average of $2398, down $43 on last year's sale, and included the breed's $5100 second top-priced ram.
The inaugural South West SheepMaster Breeders' Co-operative sale at Busselton saw five breeders offer 39 rams with all but one ram selling at auction for the breed's highest average this season of $2424.
This sale also featured the season's $6600 top-priced ram offered by the Slattery family's Twin Peaks stud, Wellstead, which was knocked down to Elders, Albany agent Nigel Hawke buying on behalf of Swainston & Co, Albany.
The May 2023-drop ram had exceptional shedding and carcase qualities, with a liveweight of 109 kilograms.
Dorper
The State's Dorper breeders were another of the season's market movers in terms of values.
But despite the significant improvements recorded this year, they weren't immune to the common trend seen among most other breeds this season of reduced rams offered and sold.
This year five breeders offered 169 rams at four sales with 127 rams selling at auction for a 75pc clearance rate.
Dorper sales collectively grossed $233,650 for an average of $1840 which was up $75,500 on gross and $764 on average amid encouraging results compared to last year.
Ram numbers offered and sold were down by 39 and 20 rams respectively compared to last year where 147 of 208 Dorper rams (71pc) sold under the hammer to gross $158,150 for an average of $1076.
The Batten family's Douwana stud, Yuna, offered and sold the largest number of rams again this selling season at its annual sale at Chapman Valley in September.
More favourable seasonal conditions in the northern Wheatbelt saw strongly improved results with a total clearance of 58 Dorper rams for an average of $1262 which was up $610 on last year's sale where Douwana sold 65 of 84 rams (77pc) at auction for an average of $652.
Just shy in numbers was the Kaya sale at Narrogin but shined in terms of prices, achieving a significant lift in average to lead the breed averages and the breed's top price.
Kaya posted a 100pc clearance of 54 Dorper rams for an average of $2719 which was $1732 up on the sale's 2023 average of $1732.
The Prieska and Dalma studs also recorded a rise in average at the Western Dorper sale at Toodyay despite the poor clearance with the 11 rams to sell at auction averaging $923, up $94 on last year.
The $6000 top-priced ram at the Kaya sale sold to Justin and Lorroi Kirkby, Amarula stud, Gravesend, NSW, on the Stocklive platform.
The mid-August 2023-drop, type 5 ram was a son of Kaya 210584 and it had the ASBVs to match its impressive outlook.
It ranks in the top 10pc for WWT at 9.3 and number of lambs weaned (NLW) at 12.0, while it is in the top 30pc for PWWT at 13.4, dressing percentage (Dress) at 2.7, lean meat yield (LMY) at 3.0 and the maternal carcase production (MCP) index at 145.6.
Its other ASBVs were -0.07 birthweight (BWT), 0.3 PFAT, 1.5 PEMD, -1.11 intramuscular fat (IMF) and 3.2 shear force test (SF5).
Kaya also sold the $5200 second top-priced ram purchased by a NSW buyer based at Cobar through Stocklive for a type 5 Kaya 210584 son and it ranked in the top 10pc for NLW and the MCP index and top 30pc for WWT, PWWT, PFAT and Dress while the $4800 third top price Kaya ram sold to a Stocklive buyer at Barraba, NSW.
White Dorper
The Veitch family's Kaya stud, Narrogin, was the only breeder to offer White Dorper rams at auction this selling season and did so in explosive fashion to be the season's notable improver.
At their annual ram sale at the Narrogin ram shed in mid-October, buying support went to a new level to see the Kaya stud notch up a total clearance of 50 rams and send all value indicators due north to set a new breed average record.
The record average of $3776 represented a whopping $2459 jump on last year's White Dorper results, while the gross of $188,800 was $126,900 up from last year.
In 2023, three breeders offered 67 White Dorper rams with 47 selling at auction (70pc) for an average of $1317.
The $9000 top-priced Kaya ram was purchased by buyers of five years the Kennedy family, Canonbar, Nyngan, New South Wales, who was operating on Stocklive.
The September 2023-drop ram, which is by Kaya White Adonis 210263, ranks in the top 10pc for LMY.
Its other ASBVs include -0.24 BWT, 7.1 WWT, 11.0 PWWT, -1.4 PFAT, 0.8 PEMD, 2.0 NLW, 2.2 Dress, -0.82 IMF, 0.8 SF5 and 135.8 MCP index.
The Kennedy's also purchased the second ($8400), third ($8200) and fourth ($7000) top-priced White Dorper rams at the sale.
Mr Kennedy said they were happy to continue buying from Kaya as they like the capacity of the Kaya sheep.
"They are big long sheep with good deep rumps and are structurally correct," he said.
The six rams the Kennedys purchased will be used in the family's stud flock, which runs alongside a commercial flock of 7000 White Dorper ewes.
Losing bidder on the two top-priced rams CJ Pratico, Greenbushes, purchased a ram at $6000 and the Yost family, Liberty White Dorper stud, Toodyay, purchased four rams to a top of $5600 twice.
Australian White
Australian Whites produced mixed results this selling season.
They followed the season's trend of reduced rams offered and sold but on a positive note, values were only marginally down on last year.
There were 116 Australian White rams offered at four sales across WA this season with 59 rams selling under the hammer for just a 51pc clearance rate to gross $80,200 and average $1359.
This meant there were 18 fewer Australian White rams offered and 12 less rams sold at auction compared to last year while the average slipped by just $35.
In 2023, 71 of 134 Australian White rams sold at auction (53pc) for an average of $1394.
The biggest of the four sales was the Bridgetown Whites sale at Kojonup in October where 39 of 45 rams sold under the hammer (87pc) for an improved average of $1377, up $91 on last year.
A single Moodi Whites ram sold at the Perth Royal Show for $2000 but the next best average and the breed's $3100 top price was achieved at the Ridgetop sale at Narrikup.
In their second offering of Australian White rams at the sale, Ridgetop sold 11 of 30 rams at auction for an average of $1455 which was down $185 on average compared to last year's sale where their inaugural offering of 30 rams saw 25 sell at auction to average $1640.
The $3100 top-priced Ridgetop ram was purchased by new stud client Anne Kennedy, Mia Springs Aussie White stud, Quindanning.
The 96.5 kilogram ram had scans of 37.3mm eye muscle depth (EMD) and 8mm fat.
The next highest priced ram was sold for $3000 at the Bridgetown ram sale which was purchased by S & V Hillman, Kendenup.
Other shedding breeds
Other shedding breeds sold at auction were the Kojak, Western White and Australian Cleanskin breeds.
These breeds were offered at the BreedersBEST Genetics sale at Kojonup, the Ida Vale sale at Kojonup and the Elders Gingin Invitational sale respectively.
Kojaks were the largest of these breeds (in numbers and values) and were again in strong demand at the Heggaton family's (BreedersBEST) on-property sale.
They recorded a 100pc clearance of the slightly reduced catalogue of 150 rams (10 less rams offered/2 more rams sold compared to last year) to a $7200 top price and average of $2833.
This figure was up a healthy $949 on last year's sale where they sold 148 of 160 rams (93pc) at auction for an average of $1884.
Ida Vale stud principals Andrew Greenup and Tamesha Gardner offered 53 Western White Shedders at their annual sale at Kojonup.
They sold 28 rams at auction (53pc clearance) to a $4200 top price and an average of $1464 and also achieved a lift in average of $228 from last year where they sold 28 of 38 rams at auction for an average of $1236.
Bundaleer sold two Australian Cleanskin rams at Gingin with one ram selling for $4000.
The $7200 top-priced Kojak ram at the BreedersBEST sale was purchased by buyer of 10 years the Harvey family, Green Gables Pty Ltd, Kojonup.
The ET-bred ram has maternal ASBVs of 0.29 BWT, 12.16 WWT, 18.27 PWWT, 1.60 PEMD, -0.63 PFAT and a MCP+ index of 136.02.
Repeat buyer JA & PM Coutts, Carisbrook, purchased the $5400 second top-priced Kojak ram, a ET-bred ram with ASBVs of 0.05 BWT, 7.56 WWT, 12.50 PWWT, 1.42 PEMD, 1.03 PFAT and a MCP+ index of 132.61, while the $5000 third top price was bid by a Kerang, Victoria, buyer on AuctionsPlus for a twin ram with ASBVs of -0.04 BWT, 9.03 WWT, 13.70 PWWT, 1.69 PEMD, 0.99 PFAT and a MCP+ index of 137.38.
