Strength of prime lamb markets adds power to Farrer MAHS White Suffolk ram sale
White Suffolk rams sold to three states at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School's annual sale, with a complete clearance of the catalogue at Tamworth on Wednesday, September 3.
Farrer offered and sold 41 rams to a top price of $9600, averaging $2321.
The top-priced ram, Farrer 240048, went to online bidder, Robert McCartney, Yentrac White Suffolk stud, Tatura, Victoria.
Mr McCartney was at home drafting up sheep to begin shearing on Thursday morning, said he'd called a favour from a friend to get an idea what the ram looked like.
"He seemed to have some stretch and had heavy weaning weights," he said. "That was the main attraction for us."
Sired by Farrer 220103, it was described as a smooth-shouldered ram with depth of carcase and excellent thickness in the loin and hindquarters.
Its Australian sheep breeding values (ASBVs) included being in the top one per cent in growth, top 10pc in muscle and top 10pc for worm resistance.
Mr McCartney said he'd used Farrer rams in artificial insemination programs, but his new sire was the first ram he'd bought from the Tamworth school's flock.
Mr McCartney said his district was slowly recovering from the drought conditions earlier in the year.
"What we need is 100 millimetres of rain by mid-October to make things good. We're always optimistic.
"The lamb job is very good down here at the moment."
He said Bendigo was his nearest market and sucker lambs made $400 on Monday.
"There's no doubt they were very good lambs, but those prices are very good," he said.
The second top-priced ram, Farrer 240153, at $7200 went to Richie Steele, Mundadoo, Girilambone.
It was part of Farrer's successful team at this year's Dubbo Show. Farrer took home the most successful exhibitor in the open and school sections and was the winner of the Goongunyah Shield for the interschool competition.
Also by Farrer 220103, it ranked in the top 1pc for growth and top 20pc for fat. Its lean meat yield ASBV was in the top 20pc and lambing ease index was in the top 1pc.
David Turvey, Oakleigh White Suffolks, St George, Queensland, paid $5800 for the third top-priced ram, Farrer240021, by Kyanga 225677.
Mr Turvey attended Farrer 20 years ago and had bought one ram from the school flock about eight years ago.
He runs about 150 stud ewes and has a large flock of commercial Australian White ewes. Earlier in the week, he delivered six decks of prime lambs to Thomas Foods International's Tamworth processing plant, selling into a grid price of $11.40 per kilogram.
"But the market has since come back on that figure," he said.
Hayden Croake, Meroo, also bought a Farrer 220103 son, paying $3900 for a solid, deep ram with good structure. Farrer 240088 had ASBVs for growth and worm resistance that were in the top 5pc.
John and Angus Burnell, Maryland White Suffolks, Wollun, bought a long-bodied son of Felix 221494, Farrer 240104, for $3400, which recorded growth in the top 10pc, muscle in the top 5pc and lean meat yield in the top 20pc.
Simon Beer, Dunedoo, bought another of the Felix sons, Farrer 240091, for $3800, with ASBVs of top 5pc for both growth and lambing ease.
One of the volume buyers was Hopetown Park, Boggabri, with eight rams averaging $1125 and a top price of $1200 twice.
Booyamurra, Coolah, bought six rams to a top of $3400, averaging $1433; Boowilla, Gowrie, bought two rams averaging $1000; and Trevor Brazier, Armidale, bought two rams averaging $1050.
The selling agents were Garvin and Cousens, Tamworth, under a Helmsman auction system. AuctionsPlus provided the online support.
