White Suffolk ram with 'meat where it all counts' tops Elite sale at Bendigo

A White Suffolk ram with "meat in all the right places" topped the ram sale as part of the Elite Show & Sale at Bendigo on Sunday.

Over the weekend, some of Australia's best White Suffolk, Suffolk, Border Leicester and Southdown sheep were exhibited and sold.

A White Suffolk ram, Lot 10, Wakeleigh 240359, was sold by the Wakeleigh White Suffolk stud, Cavendish, for a sizable $12,000.

The ram was knocked down to Mullinger Park White Suffolk stud principal Brett Shepherd, Kybybolite, SA.

The sale-topper was recently junior champion ram at the Adelaide Royal Show and also had ribbon success at Sheepvention in Hamilton.

Mr Shepherd said he had followed the August 2024-drop ram throughout the show season and from there, decided he wanted to buy him.

He said the ram had excellent thickness, bone and outlook, with some reasonable, not too elite, figures.

"He's just got meat where it all counts," he said.

"I think he'll do a hell of a job."

Mr Shepherd runs 350-400 White Suffolk ewes, alongside 150 Suffolks and 1000 Poll Dorsets.

The top-priced White Suffolk ram will be joined with 80-100 White Suffolk ewes in December and will potentially be used in the stud's artificial insemination program.

Mr Shepherd said the ram would breed top-quality rams for his commercial clients.

The sale-topper was sired by Wakeleigh 230022 and out of Wakeleigh 220172.

Wakeleigh stud principal Kylie Wake said the $12,000 price secured for the ram was "outstanding".

Ms Wake said the ram had excellent carcase attributes and growth for its age, with good feet and a "sirey outlook".

Overall, the sale saw 33 White Suffolk rams sold from 55 offered for an average of $5141.

There were also four White Suffolk ewes sold from seven offered for an average of $1500 and top of $2800, sold by Smithston Farms, Glencoe, NSW.

Four Suffolk rams were sold from 15 offered for an average of $3750 and top of $5000, sold by Deppeler Suffolks, Derrinallum.

Seven Suffolk ewes were sold from seven offered for an average of $1714 and top of $2200.

Six Border Leicester rams were sold from 15 offered for an average of $4667 and to a top of $9000, sold by the Glenlee Park Border Leicester stud, Gerang Gerung.

Four Southdown rams were sold from seven offered for an average of $3785 and to a top of $4000, sold by Chandpara Southdown stud, Tylden.

One of two Southdown ewes was sold for an average and top price of $1000, sold by Fincham's Burando Southdown stud, Yea.