Loyal, repeat buyers boost the top price and sale average at Alfoxton Dohne

Strong competition from two loyal buyers underpinned prices at the annual Alfoxton Dohne ram sale, held on-property at Armidale on February 16.

As a result, 45 of the 55 Dohne rams offered were sold to a top of $3500 and averaged $1666, an increase of more than $100 a head on last year's sale average.

Alfoxton stud principal Chris Clonan was very pleased with the outcome, with a highlight being the return of several local buyers after a break.

"It shows that ram clients that have been using Dohnes are happy with them and they are keen to come back," Mr Clonan said.

The $3500 sale-topper was lot 3, purchased by the Uebergang family, Oakhurst Partnership, North Star, who have been buying Dohne rams from Alfoxton for more than 20 years.

The twin-born ram had a 17.9 micron fleece with an eye muscle depth measuring 36 millimetres and a yearling clean fleece weight of +13.2 per cent which put him in the top 30pc of the Dohne breed.

Oakhurst Partnership purchased nine rams in total for an average of $2583, also paying $3250 for the second top-priced ram, lot 4 in the sale.

Both rams were by the home-bred sire, Alfoxton 22-0939, which Mr Clonan said is producing progeny with exceptional wool quality.

"We've continued to focus on wool quality in our Dohnes because a lot of our clients still have a strong wool emphasis as well as carcase performance," Mr Clonan said.

"They want early growth in their lambs to get them to slaughter, but they also want to take advantage of the lift in wool prices at the moment."

Ian Uebergang from Oakhurst Partnership said he and his daughter Kate studied the sale catalogue closely, with a strong emphasis on wool quality and sheep capable of growing heavy bodies.

"More than 50 per cent of our income now comes from the carcase of the sheep we sell, whether as lambs or cast-for-age ewes, so that's critical," he said.

"We select rams in the 16 to 18 micron range and also place a strong importance on structure, particularly feet.

"The rams have to be mobile and able to get around the paddock."

Mr Uebergang runs about 3200 Dohne ewes as part of the family's mixed farming operation, which also includes cattle and an extensive cropping program.

Dohne wether lambs are sold either over the hook or through paddock sales to abattoirs, targeting a 22 kilogram carcase weight and, depending on the season, grown out longer if conditions allow.

For the second year in a row, Geoff and Sam Bucknell and their son Tom, Bucknell Grazing, Inverell, were the volume buyers on the day, taking home 17 rams for an average of $1264.

The Bucknell family run 6000 Dohne ewes alongside an Angus breeding and background operation at Bukkulla Station, with 3000 joined in a self-replacing flock and the remainder mated to Poll Dorset sires for prime lamb production.

Their Dohne flock averages 19 micron, cutting about 5.5kg of wool per head annually.

"Having Dohnes gives us the option of two income streams," Mr Bucknell said.

"We're careful about wool quality, but we are mainly a sheep meat producer.

"Both the first-cross lambs and pure Dohne wether lambs are achieving good weight gains and are sold over the hooks, aiming for a 28kg dressed weight."

Long-time clients, the Bishop family, Bando Station, Mullaley, purchased four rams paying to a top of $2500 and an average of $2000, while several return buyers also featured including Wilson's Creek Pastoral Co, Uralla, who purchased three rams paying to $2500; Scott Partnership, Mount Russell took home four rams averaging $1312; and HRC Makim, Gum Flat, bought three rams at an average of $1666.

The sale was conducted by AWN Squires, Inverell, with Robbie Bloch as auctioneer.