Farrer rams sell as far as WA as buyers chase structure and growth

White Suffolk rams sold to buyers as far away as Western Australia at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School's annual sale at Tamworth on Wednesday, September 2.

Farrer sold 39 of 47 rams to a top price of $6800, averaging $1743.

All passed in lots were sold after the sale's conclusion.

A tougher season had those results back on last year's sale which had a top price of $9600, averaging $2321.

The top-priced ram, Farrer 250032, sold to Maryland, Walcha, for $6800 and was described as a long-bodied ram with "smooth shoulders" and "good neck extension".

Sired by Farrer 230076, its Australian sheep breeding values (ASBVs) included intramuscular fat (IMF) in the top 5pc, "outstanding" shear force in the top 1pc and post weaning growth in the top 10pc.

Angus Burnell, Maryland, said the ram's structure caught his eye, along with its ASBVs.

"He had good figures, low birth weight and structurally he stood up well," he said.

Mr Burnell said his family had bought Farrer rams for almost 20 years.

"I've been coming here for a long time and Darren and the boys do a very good job with joinings and the sheep are always in good order and well presented," he said.

The second top-priced ram, Farrer 250040 sold to Mundadoo Pastoral Company, Girilambone, for $5600.

Sired by Yanco 210004, it was noted as having "outstanding" carcase traits and ranked in the top 1pc for both IMF and shear force, with its worm resistance in the top 5pc.

Another notable sale was Farrer 250098, bought for $5400 by Guy Treweek, Wakool.

The ram ranked in the top 1pc for shear and top 5pc for IMF with a post-weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD) in the top 10pc.

Long-time return buyers, the Stewart family, Falkland, Glen Innes, secured two rams, to average $1500.

Lachlan Stewart said his family had bought rams from Farrer since 2004, and he was once a student there.

The family run a prime lamb operation alongside a small Suffolk stud.

Mr Stewart said the rams "always got results".

"No matter the season, they are always consistent," he said.

"Farrer are industry leaders so there's no reason to go anywhere else."

While rams were sold across NSW, Strathmore Trust, Dandaragan, Western Australia, secured five rams to a top of $4200 and average of $1720.

Garvin and Cousens, Tamworth, also secured 10 rams for an undisclosed volume buyer to an average of $1000.

Students William Rees and William Manchee were among the students at the sale.

They said it had been a difficult season but the rams had done well.

"They've been out on pasture and oats for most of their time and then in the last couple months they've been on extra feeds to get their weights up to 100 kilograms," William Rees said.

William Manchee added the rams had performed well across many traits.

"They have a lot of lambing ease and they also have pretty good birth weights, some of them, and they're very, very high on that LEQ (lamb eating quality index) overall," he said.

The selling agents were Garvin and Cousens, Tamworth, under a Helmsman auction system. AuctionsPlus provided the online support.