Western producers chase resilience, condition, at Cobar Invitational sale

Buyers across the state's Far West put a floor in prices at the Cobar Invitational Dorper and White Dorper sale on Tuesday.

Resilience and condition defined the top-selling rams, sold to multiple buyers, from vendors Jean and Moozie van Niekerk, Thyra, Dell Dorpers and African White Dorpers.

Dorper Dell 240188 sold for $4400 to the Thomas family, Ivanhoe, and White Dorper African 240363 also sold for $4400, headed to Sandy Creek with Bruce Mills and family.

A May 2024-drop weighing 96.5kg in July, African 240363, sired by Basecamp Baz 221731 with dam African 220821, had an Australian Sheep Breeding Value (ASBV) of +3.68 for weaning weight (WWT) at 32.5kg, +6.9 for post weaning weight (PWWT) at 61kg, +1.6 for post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD).

Sharing the top gong for price, Dell 240188 scored +4.61 for WWT at 32kg, +8.69 for PWWT at 65kg, +1.85 for PEMD and +0.34 for post-weaning fat (PFAT).

The May 2024-drop ram weighed 107kg in July, and was sired by Dell 210037 with dam Dell 200809.

The Thomas' picked up six other Dorper rams, Red Rock 23-0735, Stansbury 240161, Stansbury 240015, Amarula 24-4104, Red Rock 23-0832 and Stansbury 240069 for $4000, $4000, $3800, $3600, $3000, and $2400, respectively.

Dell Dorper stud manager Andrea Vagg said it was encouraging to see return clients buying large numbers of rams, drawing in new vendors to the sale to tap into the market.

"The quality was really high overall, and that showed in the prices ... it was clear to see some commercial buyers were chasing certain bloodlines," she said.

"One new stud there from near Dubbo sold really well, they've also been concentrating on structure and growth rates. They've done pretty well with our bloodlines, too."

Mrs Vagg credited fellow vendors, which included Amarula, Winrae, Red Rock, Kerrigundi, Stansbury, and Etiwanda Dorpers, as well as Dusty Downs White Dorpers, for breeding resilient animals for conditions across the state. She said her Dell Dorpers and Dumisa Dorpers aim to breed sheep that 'don't wait at the gate for feed.'

"We've been concentrating on leg structure and weight for age, that's our main criteria," she said.

"As long as the sheep are correct, have good natural body fat and a bit of leg underneath them, they should breed well and do well for the client."

The stud also purchased a ram of their own, in Red Rock 23-0720, for $4200. Born in South Australia in October 2023 as a twin, the Dorper weighed 104kg in July, and was sired by Red Rock 20-0770 with dam Red Rock 202014.

Volume buyers Garrie and Rita Turnbull, Brewarrina, purchased eight lots to a top of $4200, including Dorper Winrae 24-0041 for $3600, with sire Whynot 220361 and dam Whynot 190243 and a PWWT of +9.08.

Of the 78 rams brought to sale, 72 sold, with an average of $2935 per head overall. White Dorpers sold for an average $2740, with Dorpers sold to an average $3039.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions Russell, Cobar, interfaced online with AuctionsPlus.