Buyers seek 'ready to work' rams at Windy Hill, Basalt on-property sale

Long-standing and new buyers took advantage of the "value for money" and "ready to work" rams, buying in bulk at the Windy Hill Poll Dorset and Basalt Border Leicester on-property sale at Browns Creek on Thursday, September 17.

In the Poll Dorset offering, there was strong competition on tag 201, a 95-kilogram, July 2025-drop, sired by Felix 221445, pushing him to the top price of $3100.

The ram measured a 33.48 millimetre eye muscle area, with a 7.5mm fat.

He was bought by Laloma Partnership, Forest Reefs, with Jason Pond representing the business.

Laloma Partnership had been sourcing its Poll Dorset rams from Windy Hill and its principal Chris Roweth for more than 12 years, even before the stud began hosting a sale 11 years ago.

"They're good value for money, and a good working style, ready to go," Mr Pond said.

"These rams produce good, even lambs that grow well."

Laloma Partnership focuses on a second-cross lamb, buying in first-cross ewes to join with Poll Dorset rams.

The lambs are then sold in the sucker market or finished on grain for the export market.

They usually sell at the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange, where they have topped the market several times, or offer them on-hook.

Mr Pond said the top-price ram was thick across the topline and deep in the hindquarter.

"He's a good, stylish ram that holds his head up," he said.

Laloma Partnership bought nine rams in total for an average $2389.

Also competing strongly early in the catalogue was the sale's volume bidder Macquarie Livestock, Bathurst, which selected 13 rams, bidding to $2200 and averaging $1746.

Haverton Partnership, Browns Creek, bought 12 rams to a top of $1800, averaging $1375.

First-time buyer Weeroona Pastoral, Bribbaree, made an impact on the sale, picking seven rams to $2400, averaging $1914.

The sale offered 61 Poll Dorsets, with 47 sold to a top of $3100 and average $1776, while 10 of 24 Border Leicester rams sold to $2800, averaging $1700.

In the Border Leicesters, the top price for tag 250070 was paid by Malcolm Drury, Woodburn, Woodstock, who has bought at the sale since Campbell Roweth introduced the Basalt offering about four years ago.

The twin-born, June 2025-drop son of Tenalba 210038 had Australian Sheep Breeding Values of a +0.31 birthweight, +10 post-weaning weight.

Mr Drury admired the ram's moderate birth weight, good growth and carcase traits.

He is focused on the second-cross lamb market and breeds his own first-cross ewes to make that happen.

Mr Drury also picked up two other rams, sired by Kegra 230408, with one in the top 20 per cent for maternal weaning weight at +2.14, and the other in the top 10pc for post-weaning weight at +13.31 and top 20pc weaning weight at +9.21.

His lots averaged $2433.

SJ Russell, Canowindra, bought five rams to $2400, averaging $1440.

Windy Hill's Chris Roweth said he considered it one of the most consistent lines of rams offered and was pleased with the support from new and repeat buyers.

In recent years, he has been investing in Lambplan-recorded rams and plans to transition the stud across, in part due to client interest.

The Roweths are also planning to offer first-cross ewes next year, alongside the rams.

The sale was conducted by Elders Emms Mooney with Ben Emms auctioneering.