Huge lift in average for high growth Gypsum Hill White Suffolks
The progress that Gypsum Hill has been making in its Lambplan figures has paid off with the 38th annual sale one of its strongest.
In the breakdown. 82 of 87 White Suffolks averaged $1289, while six of the eight Suffolks averaged $1433.
The majority of the rams offered by the Frick family were knocked down to commercial clients within a 50 kilometre radius of their Padthaway property, but in a first for the stud for many years the sale topper is bound for stud duties.
Lot 1, Gypsum Hill 240081, sold for $2500 to Nick Lawrence, Pinnacle stud, Bordertown, who was impressed with the data and also the excellent length of loin of the ram.
"The issue with some high growth figured sheep is that they are getting shorter in the loin," he said.
"The excellent structure and the quality of all the sheep in the sale gave me confidence to buy."
The June 2024-drop had a post weaning weight of 23.05 and TCP index of 161.1, which both ranked within the top few per cent of 2024 drop terminal sires.
Mr Lawrence said the lot 1 ram would be used over 117 hogget ewes bought from Ashley Park stud, Bairnsdale, Vic, 12 months ago.
Several buyers were prepared to go to $2000 for their top picks, but late in the sale there were still rams available for $800.
Willalooka Pastoral Company, Willalooka, was the sale's volume buyer with ten rams for $800 and $900.
Pinindi Pastoral, Padthaway, bought six White Suffolks at the top end, paying the $2300 second highest price and averaging $1867.
Nardarra Estate, Kongorong, was the sole Suffolk buyer taking home all six rams to $1800 twice.
Stud principal Andrew Frick said it was great to hear about their clients' successes with their rams and see them back reinvesting in their genetics.
He said it had been a challenge presenting the rams due to the late break but they were pleased with the lineup.
"We have had to feed more than usual like everyone but we don't like to be big feeders. They have really done it themselves which shows the genetics," he said.
He said they had made massive progress lifting their figures, particularly growth traits while maintaining the structure of their sheep.
Recently they bought another three sires - all in the top 1pc for post weaning weight - which will improve this further.
Mr Frick said he really enjoyed seeing young people succeed in agriculture and it was tremendous to see their children Ben, Milly and Jess playing a bigger role in the stud.
PPHS conducted the sale with Jack Schulz the auctioneer.
"The sale was very strong off the back of sheep and lamb markets, even though the season is still on a knife edge there is plenty of confidence among buyers," he said.
