Top studs invest in Burrawang, with Jack in the Box sons driving competition

Studs and commercial clients competed strongly on Burrawang genetics, with rams heading to Queensland, South Australia and across NSW, following the on-property auction at Ootha last Thursday.

The top-priced ram, a White Dorper, will head south for stud duties, after being bought by Pooncarie Dorper and White Dorper stud, Dust n Rain.

Bidding hit $8750 for Burrawang 250134, a son of Burrawang 220187, also called Jack in the Box, and from dam Burrawang 191476.

The 13-month-old ram is a type 5, 87-kilogram twin with a post-weaning eye muscle depth of 33 millimetres, which was in the top 20 per cent of his contemporary group, and 4mm fat depth.

Dust n Rain principal Gary Cullinan, who bought the ram via StockLive, said he was chasing the Jack in the Box bloodline, with this ram his pick of the sons in the sale.

"He looked to be the type of ram we try to breed," he said.

The ram will be joined with select stud ewes and offer an outcross.

Other stud interest came from Etiwanda stud, Cobar, which bought two rams to $4250, including an Ace son in the top 10pc of his peers for weaning and post-weaning weights and a twin-born Granite son out of a ewe which meets Burrawang's criteria for being a "superbreeder" White Dorper dam, with a maternal carcase production index of +143.17 and post-weaning EMD Australian Sheep Breeding Value of +2.52.

Winrae Dorpers, Warialda, also bought a Carjack son with a +144.21 MCP index and +9.86 post-weaning weight ASBV at $3000.

The equal top price Dorper ram went to regular buyers, Bruce and Daniel Nutt, Pandurra Station, Lincoln Gap, SA, for $7000.

Burrawang 250408 is a 13-month-old, sired by Burrawang 231395, Brogan, out of Burrawang 201579, with a 34mm EMD (in the top 20pc) and 4.5mm fat, as well as an ASBV of +8.49 for weaning weight (top 10pc).

He was one of 20 rams, both Dorper and White Dorpers, bought by Pandurra during the auction, to average $4625, with bidding carried out by Lachie Keoch and Billy Cattanach, Elders Port Augusta, SA.

Mr Keoch said this ram was their pick due to his structure, muscling and good feet.

"A sheep is no good if it can't walk," he said.

The rams will be joined with a line of stud ewes to breed rams for Pandurra Station.

He said the sale had a quality line-up of rams that offered value for money.

The sale offering consisted of 140 rams, of which 135 sold under the hammer for an average $3435, with the remaining four rams sold shortly after.

Alan Crozier, Ivanhoe, who has bought from Burrawang for 26 years, selected 11 rams in total - six White Dorpers to $4750, averaging $3750 for himself and five Dorper rams to the equal-top price of $7000, averaging $4800, for his son Rick Crozier.

The $7000 ram was a 13-month-old, type 5, twin-born son of Burrawang 221422 Guns N' Roses, with a post-weaning EMD of 34mm (top 10pc).

Selling at $8000 was White Dorper, Burrawang 250062, a type 5 son of Burrawang 232486 Crinkle, and grandson of Jack in the Box.

The 100 kilogram ram, with a post-weaning EMD of 36mm (top 10pc) is headed to Warwick, Qld, through agents APL McDougall and Sons.

Also buying in bulk was D and L Oldfield, Bourke, selecting 13 rams to $4000, averaging $2615.

Bidding via StockLive, Will Hobbs, Tambo, Qld, bought 11 rams to $3500, averaging $2955.

Ramps Ridge, Balranald, selected 11 rams to $6750 and an average $4614.

AAM executive general manager pastoral operations NSW and Qld, Nathan Morris, said he was pleased with how the sale played out.

"Clearance rates were strong right across the board with a full 100pc clearance achieved within minutes of the sale finishing, which is a clear sign that demand for Burrawang genetics is continuing to build," he said.

"One of the most encouraging aspects for us was the number of new buyers in the market. That's something we're particularly excited about. It shows new people are entering the Dorper industry and backing the genetics we're producing here at Burrawang."

Mr Morris said the sale showed there was a "ram for everyone".

"Whether you're a commercial producer looking for a quality entry-level ram around the $2000 mark or chasing higher-end commercial ram, the depth of rams to choose from was there," he said.

"At the top end, we again saw strong support from some of the country's leading Dorper seedstock studs. Having four or five of those well-known operations purchasing rams today at Burrawang is a real endorsement of the quality of the genetics we're breeding."

Mr Morris said another positive was the strength in the ewe market, as recent rain and improved seasonal conditions spurred restocking, which was flowing through to ram demand.

He said it was also evident that flocks that had made consistent investment in genetics were being rewarded when selling their ewes.

"It really reinforces a simple principle: good genetics pay," he said.

"The producers who are prepared to invest in proven, high-quality sires are the ones who consistently see the returns."

The sale was conducted by Kevin Miller, Whitty, Lennon and Company, Forbes, with Brendon White and Luke Whitty the auctioneers. StockLive provided the online interface.