Good support, rams to three states at Deepdale Dorpers despite tight season
There was good support both in person and online at Deepdale Dorpers' on-property ram sale at Merrinee, Victoria, on March 3, with the tight season having little impact on the clearance.
All 94 Dorper and White Dorper rams sold, with the sale reaching a $7600 top to average $3283.
Dorpers sold to particularly good demand, averaging $4047 across the 34 lots.
South Australia's Gary and Janice Fiegert, Melashdan Dorpers, Tumby Bay, secured the top-priced ram in Deepdale 230365.
The type-five Dorper, 18 months, by Beretta Burrawang Dorper 210293 and out of Burrawang 181956, was embryo-transfer bred and weighed 96.5 kilograms with 46 millimetres eye muscle depth and 5.5mm fat.
The Fiegerts also paid $7400 for the type five White Dorper, Deepdale 231232, by Carlton Burrawang WD 190245 and from Matchless 22220074.
The 17-month-old, 107kg, was also ET bred and scanned 47mm EMD and 7.5mm fat.
Their remaining purchase was the $6200 Deepdale 230360, also a type five White Dorper, by Trump Burrawang WD 191472 and from Burrawang 181644.
The 18-month-old was 100.5kg with 47mm EMD and 5.5mm fat.
The couple favoured the top ram's bloodlines and were targeting body condition and structure.
All three rams were set to be used in their stud, which sells rams to station country.
"It's just consistency with our sheep and trying to keep that body condition," Ms Fiegert said.
"They need a bit of height to them and to be able to walk properly," Mr Fiegert added.
The couple said they were just starting to feed out some barley and had bought hay to get through lambing in April and May.
"We're very short on feed at the moment," he said.
Paying to a $6400 top and $4244 average across a draft of nine rams was return buyer Justin McClure, Kallara Station, Tilpa.
His top pick was the type-five Dorper, Deepdale 231588, also by Beretta Burrawang and from Burrawang 172046.
The ram, 16 months, weighed 99kg with 45mm EMD and 3.5mm fat.
He also paid $5000 for two White Dorpers in Deepdale 231427, by Burrawang Blue Moon 220444, and Deepdale 230833, by Iron Man Burrawang 220185.
Mr McClure bought predominantly White Dorpers and said he was targeting growth for age.
His operation runs between 10,000 and 15,000 ewes across four properties.
"We supply the organic market and these animals suit our environment down to a tee," he said.
"We're about 50/50 whites and blacks at home but looking for a long, free-ranging animal that has really good figures that translates into an animal that walks and moves and covers the country."
He said the season was challenging, although the operation had been helped but some lucky storms.
Clayton and Clancy Griffiths of Pan Ban Station, Pan Ban, paid to $5200 and averaged $4240 for a draft of five Dorpers.
Their top ram was Deepdale 231567, type four, by Burrawang Flint Lock 220002 and from Burrawang 181747.
The 16-month-old weighed 94.5kg and scanned 46mm EMD and 7.5mm fat.
Menindee-based Big Ampi took home a draft of eight White Dorpers to average $2450, while online bidders the Tansell family, Koralta Station, Little Topar, bought six Dorpers to average $3500.
Mark Griffiths, Balranald, averaged $2550 for a draft of eight White Dorpers.
Brady Bowen, Deepdale, said it was a very good result given the poor season.
"It's obviously tough for a lot of people, not just in one state but it's Victoria, South Australia and NSW," he said.
"But there was a lot of new buyers and return clients - it's been really positive.
"I just want to thank everyone for their support, I think the industry is going further and further forward with the Dorper breed and I think in the next five years it will be even further."
BR and C Agents conducted the sale with Jason Morrison the auctioneer. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.
