Season impacts on clearance at Castle Camps' two breed sale

Demand was strong for White Suffolks at Castle Camp studs' annual ram sale at Keith on Friday last week with a $1700 high reached three times.

But it was far more subdued on the Border Leicester offering, with auctioneer Mat Macdonald only getting through about half the pens before calling time on the auction.

The averages were up on both breeds compared to 2024, with 72 of 80 White Suffolks offered by Ian and Sue Carr and family averaged $1180, while 18 of 38 Border Leicesters averaged $1105.

Scottswell Partners, Keith, was the volume White Suffolk buyer with his 11 rams averaging $1355. This included two rams at the $1700 high.

Going head-to-head on many of these lots was KD Day & Co, Padthaway, who bought 10 top end rams, including the other $1700 White Suffolk.

Miller Whan & John's Peter Creek bought nine rams for Riverbend Pastoral for a $922 average.

Lot 83, a ram that the Carrs considered keeping, was the $1700 highest-priced Border Leicester.

The July 2024 drop was knocked down to Kevin and Andrew Harvey, Inva Loch, Strathdownie, Vic, as one of their three buys.

They were impressed with the wool quality and body type of the Gleneith 210151 son, which had a MCP+ index of 156.6.

"Many first cross ewe breeders don't look at the wool but if we are shearing and crutching it has to add some value, " Andrew said.

The Harveys breed their own first cross ewes and then mate them to Romneys.

V&K Peucker, Mingbool, took home five Border Leicesters for a $980 average.

Mr Carr said it was pleasing to see so many repeat buyers happy with the Castle Camps progeny but it was also the first time in five years that they had not achieved a total clearance of White Suffolks.

"We knew the season and the lack of numbers could impact things. People want to buy ewes but no one quite knows what they are going to cost," he said.

He would have liked to have sold more Border Leicesters but was confident in more orders later in the season.

"We are really happy with the lineup and think we are getting some really good Lambplan numbers on them with high growth and positive muscle and positive fat to get that doing ability," he said.

"We have already seen first cross ewes making some fairly big money in the eastern states and I don't think it will be that different here."

Platinum Livestock agent Adam Bradley said the rams had "turned themselves inside out" since cataloguing about a month ago.

The sale was really solid on the White Suffolks with prices holding up throughout.

"You could see what buyers were focusing on, the high post weaning weights, positive fat and those who were born twins," he said.

"They (Buyers) didn't have to be right at the top, they knew they could get what they wanted later too."

Mr Bradley was also confident that, after more SE producers had sold lambs and seen the strength of the blue ribbon first cross ewe sales that Castle Camps would make further sales.

"The number of first cross ewes that have gone out ot the system is unbelievable so they are going to be needed," he said.

Platinum Livestock and MWJ Mount Gambier were joint selling agents.