Sheepmaster composites in demand by return and new buyers at The Cliffs
Sheepmaster composites were well sought after at The Cliffs Shedding Sheep on-property sale at Molong on February 12, with buyers chasing hybrid vigour and big frames.
Phil and Judi Thompson offered both Sheepmaster composites and Australian White rams.
The sale reached a top of $2900 and an overall average of $1570 for 46 of 50 rams sold.
In the breakdown, all 29 Sheepmasters averaged $1790, while 17 of 21 Australian Whites averaged $1194.
The top-priced ram was a Sheepmaster composite, Cliffs 246060, which sold for $2900 to return buyer Sue Priest, Kangaroobie.
The ram, 113.5 kilograms, was a January-2024 drop and born a twin. He was by Cliffs 22561 and scanned nine millimetres fat and 40mm eye muscle depth.
The ram was Ms Priest's sole purchase.
Faces at The Cliffs ram sale
Pictures by Rebecca Nadge
The second top-priced ram at $2800 was also a Sheepmaster in Cliffs 23994. He was secured by volume buyer Angus Cleaver, Murrabee Partnership, Nyngan.
Cliffs 23994, 112kg, was by Cliffmaster 22101 and also born a twin. A November-2023 drop, he scanned 9mm fat and 47mm EMD.
All proceeds of the ram's sale were donated to Beyond Blue.
Mr Cleaver secured 14 rams across both breeds to average $1671.
His draft included the top-priced Australian White, Cliffs 23447, 113.5kg, by Baringa 21A148, for $2200.
The November-2023 drop was a single and scanned 8.5mm fat and 49mm EMD.
Mr Cleaver is a return buyer of four years. The operation was transitioning out of Merinos with one more year to go, he said.
"We've got about 1500 Australian Whites ewes and we've got about 1300 Merino ewes left," he said.
He was mostly chasing big, heavy rams and was not fussed whether they were Sheepmasters or Australian Whites.
"The lambs have been going well, we're right into selling them at five and six months at good weights.
"They're early maturing and they've got the carcase to put into them."
Mr Cleaver said he hadn't planned to buy so many rams but they presented good value for money.
"We don't need these until November but I'd rather be looking at them than for them," he said.
Taking home a draft of six Sheepmasters averaging $1783 was Wallah Wallah Pty Ltd, Wallah Wallah.
The operation's top pick was Cliffs 24638, by Cliffs 22561, at $2700.
The single born, February-2024 drop weighed 110.5kg and scanned 8mm fat and 43mm EMD.
Several other buyers secured three rams each, including James Best, Baroone, who bought two Sheepmaster rams at $2700 each and a third for $1900.
The Cliffs also sold three pens of 10 Sheepmaster ewes.
The first pen were April-2024 drops averaging 59.2kg, which sold for $310 a head, while the second pen of April to June drops averaging 58.8kg made $300/hd.
The third pen of June and July drops averaging 58.5kg made $270/hd.
The Cliffs stud principal Phil Thompson said it was a good result and the demand for Sheepmaster composites was clear.
The stud began an artificial insemination program in 2021 to cross Sheepmasters with Australian Whites to gain hybrid vigour and keep the large muscle depth.
He said the sale was impacted by poor seasonal conditions in Victoria and South Australia, but it was pleasing to welcome both new and return clients.
He said it was also positive to raise money for Beyond Blue, with another buyer pledging to donate a further $1000 after the sale.
Nutrien Milling Thomas conducted the sale with Peter Thomas and Sam Thomas sharing the rostrum.
AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.
