Bullseye progeny highly sought after at Burrawang Dorper and White Dorper sale
Structure, survivability and growth topped buyers' priority list at the Burrawang Dorper and White Dorper ram sale, held near Ootha, on October 9.
All up, 147 of 148 rams sold to $12,000 to average $3833, up from the March 2025 sale.
The top-priced White Dorper ram, Burrawang 242559, was knocked down to Dell African Dumisa Dorper and White Dorper, Moama, for $12,000.
He weighed 92 kilograms at 12 months and scanned an eye muscle depth of 39 millimetres and 4mm fat.
By Burrawang Gold 231366 and out of Burrawang 212274, the twin-born type five ram weighed 38kg at 79 days and 63kg at 209 days, for an average daily gain of 0.19kg.
Dell stud manager Andrea Vagg said the ram was an all-round type that would suit the stud as an outcross.
She selected him on visual assessment, but said he also had the figures to match.
"He has tremendous meat across his body, with a strong head, good forequarters, bone, feet and legs," she said.
Dell last purchased from Burrawang many years ago, and Mrs Vagg said the genetics had helped put good body fat back into the stud.
The new sire will be joined to about 150 of the stud's 300 ewes via artificial insemination.
"It was nice to see such an even line of sheep prepared this year, but we're excited to see what he'll breed for us," she said.
Dust'n Rain Dorpers, Pooncarie, secured the two top Dorper rams, Burrawang Guns and Roses 221422, and Burrawang 241313, for $10,000 each.
Son of Burrawang Shotgun 201047 and out of Burrawang 210470, the 39-month-old weighed 107kg with 40mm EMD and 6mm fat.
A paternal grandson of Burrawang Bullseye 181699, the type five ram weighed 31kg at 89 days and 45.2kg at 198 days.
Sired by Burrawang Outlaw 230071 and out of Burrawang 220561, the second $10,000 ram, Burrawang 241313, weighed 91kg at 12 months with 36mm EMD and 6mm fat.
The type five ram ranked in the top 20pc with an ASBV of +143.31 maternal carcase production.
Gary Cullinan, Dust'n Rain, sought the progeny of Burrawang Bullseye, a leading sire the stud purchased about five years ago.
Mr Cullinan said Bullseye had bred exceptionally well for the stud before his recent death.
"Bullseye bred really good lamb rams, and we find that even from our older ewes, the good rams come back to him," he said.
"We've bought a number of proven sires from Burrawang since, so we're excited to use his progeny over their ewes."
Dust'n Rain breed rams primarily for commercial western buyers chasing height, weight and carcase.
Guns and Roses will be joined to about 300 stud ewes, while Burrawang 241313 will be run with a small mob to assess its performance.
Volume buyer NBS Ag, Forbes, secured a draft of 23 rams to $4750 to average $2773.
Structure, longevity, growth and high weaning weights were top priorities for NBS Ag stock manager James Doyle.
The mixed operation runs Dorpers and White Dorpers alongside trading cattle and cropping across five farms south-west of Forbes.
Its self-replacing, 4000-head Burrawang-blood ewe flock aims to turn off fat lambs as quickly as possible.
About 2600 ewes will be joined to the draft in March 2026.
AAM executive general manager pastoral operations NSW and Qld, Nathan Morris, said the stud was pleased with the sale.
"It was a terrific sale with plenty of good value rams for commercial operators with rams sold to the north and south," he said.
RA Crozier and SE Hemley, Ivanhoe, bought nine rams to $6750 to average $4861, while Allan Crozier, Ivanhoe, purchased 10 rams to $5750 to average $4450.
Simon Renfrey, Ramps Ridge, Balranald, averaged $3517 for 14 rams to $6500, and Will Hobbs, Tambo, Queensland, paid to $4250 for nine rams to average $3861.
Kevin Miller Whitty Lennon and Co, Forbes, conducted the sale with Brendan White and Luke Whitty as auctioneers. StockLive provided the online interface.
