Amarula Dorpers set an early benchmark for 2025 with 100 per cent clearance
A Dorper ram sale at Gravesend has set an early 2025 benchmark for the breed, with a total clearance and buyers from a large area of western NSW and Queensland.
Justin and Lorroi Kirkby's Amarula stud offered 149 rams, with a White Dorper topping at $13,000, a Dorper ram making $12,000, and an overall average of $4476. Drilling further down the averages' detail, 97 Dorper rams averaged $4268, while 52 White Dorpers averaged $4865.
The $13,000 ram was bought by Kevin and Narelle Spears, Dusty Downs White Dorpers, and Boer Goats.
Amarula 2232456 was lambed in March 2023, sired by Nonninb McTaggart 200360 out of a Nomuula Lowie 170275 ewe. The ram had an impressive data set with four Lambplan ASBV traits in the top 10 per cent of the breed and a fifth in the top 20pc. Its weaning weight (WWT) at 100 days ranking was 9.1, PWT (225 days) 14.4, lean meat yield (LMY) 2,9 and maternal carcase production (MCP) was 143.3.
Mrs Spears said that after the devastation of the 2019 drought, she and her husband decided to quit their commercial enterprise and focus on breeding pedigrees, White Dorper and Boar Goats suited to western conditions.
"We wanted to run less stock but of higher quality and better production traits," she said.
"We want to breed sheep to help us look after the land."
She said they have adopted cell grazing rotations to help better manage their grass and paddocks on their 1821-hectare property.
Dusty Downs bought the top-priced White Dorper at Amarula in 2023, paying $23,000.
Phil and Trish Palmer of Speargrass Company, Overnewton, Ivanhoe, bought the $12,000 Dorper ram.
The Palmers are in business with their son in the family-owned company, Semi-Arid Ag, which runs about 30,000 ewes on four properties: Denian, Overnewton, Hazel-dell and Coolaminyah - that cover a combined area of 141,640ha.
Mr Palmer bought five Dorper rams for a small breeding nucleus that supplies sires to the extensive breeding flocks. The rams averaged $6500.
He said the enterprise lambs twice a year, with an overall lambing percentage of about 140 per cent. All lambs are finished on the property and shipped out for processing.
He also bought 24 rams on behalf of his daughter Jess and her husband, Rob Rogers, who owns the family property at Eurella Station, Ivanhoe. The rams sold to a top price of $4000, six times, averaging $3562.
Les Jukes, his son Anthony, and grandsons Archie and Max, Tregoning, Morven, Queensland, bought 14 rams at a top price of $6500, averaging $4714.
He said he'd been buying at Amarula on and off for 10 to 12 years and had joined 4000 ewes with a 120pc lambing percentage.
Anthony Jukes said the last consignment of their lambs sent to Thomas Food International, Tamworth, in January made $222 a head, at 890 cents a kilo, with an average carcase weight of 26.7kg.
Mirage Pastoral Partnership, Cunnamulla, Qld, bought eight rams at a top price of $4000 six times, averaging $3875, while the Maxwell Family Trust, Wee Waa, bought 10 rams at a top price of $4500, averaging $4000.
The Hughes family bought 12 rams online through Nutrien Bourke. The top price was $5500, and the average was $4208.
Nutrien Stud Stock was the selling agent, and 48 buyers registered on the day. John Settree and Matt Campion were the auctioneers. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.
