Local buyers, with competition from the east, push up prices at show auction

A quality presentation of rams and ewes received solid buying support from local and interstate buyers, when they were offered for sale at last week's Perth Royal Show All Breeds Ram and Ewe Sale

With 36 registered buyers in the stands and four active bidders on AuctionsPlus, bidding was solid throughout the catalogue, resulting in a top price of $9400 for a Suffolk ram and acceptable results achieved for most vendors across the board.

On AuctionsPlus, the sale catalogue received 2510 views, while there were 32 watching the sale online.

The four online bidders placed 48 bids during the auction across six lots, resulting in four lots selling to online buyers.

Selling agents Elders and Nutrien Livestock, cleared 24 of the 38 rams offered under the hammer for an average of $4888, which was up $120 on last year's sale, while there were three ewes sold from eight offered under the hammer at an average of $1033 and to a top of $1200.

Last year, agents sold 25 from 38 rams at a $4768 average and to a top of $16,000, while in 2024 four ewes sold from five offered at an average of $1050.

Elders stud stock sales specialist, Michael O'Neill, said all the rams offered presented extremely well and were a credit to the breeders, but it was a shame there wasn't more competition on the rams.

"While competition was lacking it was still a positive sale with a number of highs and strong competition on selective lots, but I think buyers certainly missed an opportunity to secure some very well-bred rams and ewes at good values," Mr O'Neill said.

"There was a good spread of new genetics in the catalogue and the sheep were backed by good figures, meaning there were plenty of opportunities for breeders to buy.

"Another positive from the sale was the interest on AuctionsPlus, not only from local buyers, but also from the Eastern States."

Nutrien Livestock Breeding manager and prime lamb genetics specialist, Roy Addis, said vendors presented a magnificent line-up of rams across all breeds, but in the end the sale was again a challenging one.

"Buyers were certainly selective on figures throughout the catalogue which created some highs, but overall the clearance was disappointing given where sales have been sitting this year and the future outlook for the sheep and lamb markets," Mr Addis said.

"This sale continues to be a tough one, as once again we have seen a number of sires purchased out of the east this year which is disappointing given what studs are breeding in WA.

"I would like to thank the purchasers in this sale for recognising the quality genetics being bred in WA."

Achieving the $9400 top price, after creating plenty of interest among buyers due to its outstanding outlook and its bloodline, was an upstanding Suffolk sire from the O'Neill family's Annaghdowns stud, Wilga.

When the classy ram came in front of the selling podium in lot four, buyers kicked into action.

Nutrien Livestock auctioneer, Chris Waddingham, took an opening bid of $3000 on the ram and from there he had his work cut out as a couple of buyers went at it.

In the end it was Ashley Maiolo, Rocky Ridge stud, Williams, who bid with the assistance of Mr Addis, who fired in the final $9400 bid.

The 2024-drop ram is sired by Cheeryna 220309 and out of Annaghdowns 220077.

It has Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) of 0.5 birthweight (BWT), 9.96 weaning weight (WWT), 15.16 post weaning weight (PWWT), 1.69 post weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD), -0.03 post weaning fat (PFAT), 2.89 lean meat yield (LMY) along with a terminal carcase production (TCP) index of 138.97.

Ms Maiolo said it was the first time she had purchased a ram from Annaghdowns and it was the ram's complete outcross bloodline which was its biggest attraction to her.

"I was looking for a new bloodline to use in my stud and this ram certainly ticks that box as he is not related to anything I have in the stud, which was what I was looking for," Ms Maiolo.

"He is a very well put-together ram with good stretch and good depth of muscle.

"He also had the figures I was looking for.

"I think he will definitely benefit my flock."

South Suffolk

The South Suffolk breed led the sale with two rams - one from the Bingham family's Iveston stud, Williams and one from the Simpson family's Pettison Park stud, Quairading, and both found new homes selling for a $4200 average.

Topping the South Suffolk offering at $4600 was a deep and thick ram from the Pettison Park stud when it sold to Denam Carter, Ridgetop stud, Narrikup.

Mr Carter said the ram had good depth of body and a good hindquarter.

"He will be a new bloodline for our stud and he will fit in very well with what we are trying to breed," Mr Carter said.

The ram, which is by Pettison Park 200042, weighed 115 kilograms at the end of August and was sold with scan figures of 43mm eye muscle depth, 94mm eye muscle width and 8mm fat.

The ram offered and sold by the Iveston stud made $3800 when it was purchased by return buyer Anne Kennedy, EK & L Kennedy, Mia Springs stud, Williams.

Suffolk

Next into the ring was an offering of six Suffolk rams and one ewe from four vendors and at the conclusion of the run, four of the rams had sold under the hammer to the previously mentioned sale's $9400 top price and an average of $5900, which was up $1575 on last year.

Last year four Suffolk rams sold from five offered at an average of $4325 and to a top of $6000.

As previously mentioned, the Annaghdowns Downs stud led the way for the breed, selling the day's $9400 top-priced ram.

The second top price in the Suffolk offering was $7000 and it was achieved by Richard Philipps and Sally Larkin's Karinya stud, Boyup Brook, who offered and sold two rams in the line-up for an average of $5000.

Topping Karinya's offering at $7000 was a stretchy long ram with good muscling and it found a new home in New South Wales when it sold to a buyer based at Millthorpe.

The ram which is a son of Kalinda 210537 has ASBVs of 0.65 BWT, 12.06 WWT, 19.57 PWWT, -0.59 PFAT, 1.48 PEMD and a TCP index of 153.49.

The other ram offered by the Karinya stud, which was a son of Karinya 170446, sold at $3000 to the Glass family, Fenwick Farm stud, Calingiri, which purchased through Mr O'Neill.

The ram has ASBVs of 0.23 BWT, 8.73 WWT, 13.41 PWWT, 0.47 PFAT, 1.56 PEMD, -0.44 intramuscular fat (IMF) and a TCP index of 134.18.

Rounding out the vendors to sell in the Suffolk run was Glenn and Kay Cole's Sasimwa stud, York, which offered and sold one ram for $4200.

The upstanding ram, which is by APS 200482, was purchased by RK Drage, Mt Barker.

The ram has ASBVs of 0.58 BWT, 8.8 WWT, 13.4 PWWT, -0.7 PFAT and -0.4 PEMD as well as a TCP index of 124.9 and lamb eating quality (LEQ) index of 122.9.

White Suffolk

With the White Suffolk breed celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, there was not only a big showing of White Suffolks in the show ring, but there was also an increased number of studs to offer rams in the sale.

This year 11 White Suffolk studs offered 16 rams and seven ewes.

In the ram offering, nine found new homes selling to the sale's $9200 second top price and an average of $5200, which was back $983 on last year.

In 2024 nine rams sold from 13 offered to a top of $16,000 and an average of $6183.

When it came to the ewe offering, three from the seven ewes offered, sold to a top of $1200 and an average of $1033.

Leading the way for the breed and selling its $9200 top-priced ram was Josh and Leah Addis's Kalagan stud, Denmark.

After some quick fire bidding on the upstanding sire which showed great presence in the ring, it was finally knocked down to first-time buyer Luke Ledwith, Kolindale stud, Dudinin.

Mr Ledwith said the ram, which was the reserve champion White Suffolk ram in the show, was perfect on its feet and was very well-structured.

"He also has plenty of length of body which is what we chase as we want to breed long-bodied rams for our clients as that is what helps them put kilograms on their lambs," Mr Ledwith said.

"He also has a very good set of figures.

"He will be a new bloodline for the stud, so we are looking forward to what he will breed."

The ram is by Felix 211239 and out of Bundara Downs 193229.

It has ASBVs of 0.20 BWT, 11.79 WWT, 18.69 PWWT, 0.36 PFAT, 3.20 PEMD, 0.92 Shear Force (SF5) and 0.15 IMF, while it has index values of 157.17 for the TCP index and 162.23 for the LEQ index.

With these figures, the ram ranks in the top 5pc on LambPlan for the LEQ index, top 10pc for IMF and PWWT plus top 20pc for WWT, PFAT, PEMD and the TCP index.

Mr Ledwith also purchased the only ram offered and sold by Brenton and Harriet Addis's Yonga Downs stud, Broomehill.

For this ram, which is by Yonga Downs 210026, he paid $5000.

It ranks in the top 5pc for PWWT, top 10pc for PFAT and top 20pc for WWT, PEMD, the TCP index and the LEQ index.

The Marwick family, Codji Springs stud, Pumphreys Bridge, offered one ram in the line-up and it sold for the breed's $7000 second top price when selling to the Simpson family, Barby Downs stud, Quairading.

Shaun Simpson said the Codji Springs' ram appealed to them for its power and volume.

"He is a very powerful ram all the way through and he has plenty of volume," Mr Simpson said.

"He is also very true to the White Suffolk type.

"We think he will fit in very well into our breeding program and what we are trying to achieve."

The ram is by Rangeview 200006 and has ASBVs of 0.46 BWT, 11.37 WWT, 18.13 PWWT, 3.77 LMY, 0.06 IMF, 2.2 PEMD and a TCP index of 152.29 which ranks it in the top 20pc for WWT and PWWT.

The Hyde family's Kohat stud, Ongerup, offered and sold two rams to a high of $6600 and an average of $5700.

Their $6600 ram which is by Ella Matta 210270 was purchased by the South family, Glenbrook stud, Bowelling.

The ram has ASBVs of 0.27 BWT, 12.56 WWT, 20.50 PWWT, 3.08 LMY, 1.01 PFAT, 3.83 PEMD, -1.81 SF5 and 0.03 IMF, as well as indexes of 164.07 for the TCP index and 161.94 for the LEQ index.

These figures rank it in the top 5pc for PWWT, PFAT, SF5, as well as the TCP and LEQ indexes and top 10pc for PEMD and WWT.

The other ram sold by Kohat was a son of Yanco 210004 and it ranks in the top 5pc for WWT, PWWT, LMY and the TCP index.

This ram was purchased by a WA buyer operating through AuctionsPlus.

In addition to selling the top-priced ram in the Suffolk run, the O'Neill family, Annaghdowns stud, also offered and sold one White Suffolk sire for $5200.

The ram, which is by Detpa Grove 210533, was purchased by the Collard family, Warringah Grazing Co, 4 Corners stud, Badgingarra.

The ram is in the top 10pc for the TCP index and top 20pc for PWWT and PEMD.

The Squiers family, Shirlee Downs stud, Quairading, offered three rams in the run and sold one for $3000 to Fenwick Farm.

The ram by Stockdale 220099 and out of Stockdale 210265, ranks in the top 30pc for WWT and PWWT.

Max Whyte and Gail Cremasco, Brimfield stud, Kendenup, offered two rams in the run and sold one at $3000 to AT & JI Watterson & Son, Mt Barker.

The ram is by Brimfield 201027 and it has index values of 148.3 for the LEQ index and 152.3 for the TCP index.

Selling for the first time in the sale the Thompson family, Venturon Livestock stud, Boyup Brook, cleared its single entry at $3000 to BR & BJ Smith & Son, Wannamal.

The ram, which was part of the stud's winning interbreed group of three rams, is by Booloola 210024 and it is in the top 10pc for IMF and top 20pc for PWWT.

At the completion of the offering of White Suffolk rams, seven White Suffolk ewes were offered and three sold under the hammer.

The Kalagan stud offered and sold two ewes to a top of $1200 and an average of $1100.

The stud's top-priced ewe, which is by Ashmore 200997, was purchased by the Thompson family, Venturon Livestock.

Harris Thompson said the ewe, which would be a new bloodline for Venturon Livestock, had a really good set of figures and a very good breed type.

"Kalagan has some very good sheep in their stud, so I am confident this ewe will go on and breed some very good progeny," Mr Thompson said.

The ewe has ASBVs of 0.40 BWT, 12.23 WWT, 20.02 PWWT, -0.04 PFAT, 3.51 PEMD and 1.71 SF5 as well as a 158.28 TCP index and a 152.07 LEQ index.

With these figures, the ewe is in the top 5pc for PWWT and top 10pc for WWT and the TCP index.

Kalagan sold a second ewe by Ashmore 200667 with index values of 148.55 for the TCP index and 146.70 for the LEQ index for $1000 to the Carter family's Ridgetop stud.

The third ewe to be sold was offered by the Cole family's Sasimwa stud, York and it was purchased at $900 by Yandee Farms, Carnamah.

The ewe is by Kiara 180012 and has a TCP index of 136.40.

Poll Dorset

The Poll Dorset breed was the second largest in terms of number of rams offered and sold with three studs combining to offer 13 rams.

By the end of the run, eight of the 13 rams had been sold under the hammer to a top of $7000 and an average of $4425, which was up $200on last year.

In comparison, last year four studs sold 10 rams from 17 offered at an average of $4225 and to a top of $6250.

Leading the way in the run in terms of both prices and numbers was the Squiers family's Shirlee Downs stud, Quairading.

In the line-up Shirlee Downs offered seven sires and sold six to the breed's $7000 top price and an average of $4033.

Taking top price honours in the Shirlee Downs team was its second ram, which had been sashed the reserve champion Poll Dorset ram at the show, as well as the supreme champion interbreed exhibit at this year's Williams Gateway Expo.

After interest from a couple of different buyers, when it went under the hammer, it was eventually knocked down to return buyers the Lawrence family, Canternatting stud, Northam.

The ram, which is by Shirlee Downs 240067, has ASBVs of 0.43 BWT, 9.89 WWT, 15.32 PWWT, 2.06 PEMD, 3.61 LMY, -0.85 IMF and -0.61 PFAT as well as a TCP index of 138.07.

Buyer Allen Lawrence, who bought his first ram from the Squiers family in 1974 for $300, said the ram was a good all round sheep.

"He took my eye as soon as I walked down his lane," Mr Lawrence said.

"He has everything we want in terms of muscle, depth, length and growth.

"He also is clean on the points.

"The Shirlee Downs rams have always done well for us, so I am confident this ram will even though he will be a new bloodline for the flock."

The next best price in the Shirlee Downs offering was $4000 paid by Garry Mitchell, Glencraobh stud, Kojonup.

At $4000, Mr Mitchell secured a Rangeview 220050 son with ABSVs of 0.59 BWT, 11.39 WWT, 15.82 PWWT, 1.6 PEMD, 3.62 LMY, -0.74 IMF and -1.08 PFAT, as well as an index value of 139.69 for TCP index.

Also buying from the Shirlee Downs offering at $3600 was the Elspeth stud, West Popanyinning, which purchased a ram with a TCP index of 155.1, while the Rainbow Park stud, Napier, secured one with a TCP index of 153.41 for the same value.

The final Shirlee Downs' ram sold, made $3000 and was purchased by Janan stud, Dandaragan.

The Levett family, Tipperary stud, Walkaway, offered three rams in the line up and sold two both at $5600.

The first Tipperary ram to sell at $5600 was purchased by the Tellarup Brook stud, Manjimup, through Mr O'Neill.

The ram is by Aberdeen 220545 and has ASBVs of 0.59 BWT, 13.26 WWT, 19.81 PWWT, 5.17 LMY, 2.64 PEMD and -0.99 PFAT and a TCP index of 159.95 which ranks it in the top 5pc for WWT, PWWT and LMY and top 10pc for the TCP index.

The other Tipperary sire to sell at $5600 was purchased by the Wilgarna stud, Boyup Brook.

It is by Tipperary 210209 and has ASBVs of 0.53 BWT, 10.15 WWT, 15.7 PWWT, 3.65 LMY, 4.13 PEMD (top 5pc) and 0.09 PFAT and a TCP index of 142.3.

Hampshire Down

The Hampshire Down breed was the last in the catalogue and in this section first vendor Brendon Simpson and family, The Valley stud, Brigadoon, offered and sold one sire.

The 113kg (late August weight) was purchased at $3100 by a return buyer from Boyup Brook who operated through AuctionsPlus.

The ram had scan data of 45mm for eye muscle depth, 91mm for eye muscle width and 8mm for fat.