Uralba White Suffolks sets new on-property ram record at annual sale

Uralba stud has reaped the rewards of time and effort in its 2026 ram sale at Cleve.

The stud cleared all 70 White Suffolk rams offered to a top price of $3200 three times and a $2414 average.

The result was more than double last year's $1065 average, while the top price was a record for the stud, surpassing last year's top of $2200.

Stud principal Paul Dolling said the result provided confidence to continue investing the time and money required to produce terminal rams.

"It does take a lot of work and time and money to get the rams to sale day and it's good to be rewarded for it," he said.

The $3200 top price was achieved by three different buyers - SA&DJ&KM Hannemann, Cleve, bought lot 3; Cillro Farms, Waddikee, secured lot 19; and A&PL McCracken&Son, Cummins, bought lot 30.

Lot 3 had a 19.8 post-weaning weight figure, -0.9 fat, 1.7 eye muscle depth, a terminal carcase production index of 151 and weighed 131.5 kilograms. Its sire was 236524 which had a growth figure of 20.9.

Lot 19 had a 17.5PWW, -0.3fat, 2.1EMD, 145.8TCP index and weighed 122kg sired by 226232, while lot 30 had a 19.1PWW, -0.8fat, 1.2EMD, 144.3TCP and weighed 131kg sired by the same ram as lot 3.

Mr Dolling said the top-price rams were relatively uniform visually, with strong competition pushing the prices along.

"Anything that was higher growth and well structured, buyers tended to go for," he said.

Cillro Farms operator Dan Schilling, Waddikee, purchased four rams overall, averaging $2750.

He said the $3200 ram appealed for its frame, shape and length, and would be joined to older cast-for-age ewes and Merino-cross ewes, with the aim of producing long-bodied lambs.

"We try to get long sheep that fill out, as Gordon Wood always says - length weights and weight pays," he said.

Mr Schilling said the other three rams also offered the long, big frames Cillro Farms was seeking.

"Credit to Paul, he's got a wicked line-up. You could get one and 80 that are very similar," he said.

Volume buying was led by Bannann Trading, Kielpa, with six rams averaging $2367, while Kitschke & Son, Jamestown, bought five averaging $2480.

MA&GM Noble & Co, Cleve, bought five averaging $2000, while new buyers included Ben Berg, Kyancutta, and a returning buyer A&PL McCracken, who had not purchased from Uralba for some years.

Elders auctioneer Tony Wetherall said the strength of the lamb market, combined with fewer White Suffolk rams available across SA and the west coast, had driven demand.

"The shortage of terminal rams around the state was certainly a contributing factor to the sale's success," he said.

"We've seen all the sales on the west coast of White Suffolk having better clearances and averages being considerably up. So I think that trend will continue for the rest of the season."

The sale was conducted by Elders in conjunction with Nutrien, with Mr Wetherall as auctioneer.