'Nerve-wracking': Majella's new owners take Poll Dorset operation into new era
A tight national ewe market could not dull the demand for top-end genetics at Majella Poll Dorset stud's inaugural ram sale.
Majella Poll Dorset stud principals Steve and Mardi James, Bungeet, sold 74 of 101 rams to a top price of $3600 three times to average $1800.
Mr James said he had purchased rams from Majella's previous stud principal Bill Sammon his "whole life" so jumped at the chance to acquire the stud when he chose to retire.
He said his first sale was "nerve-wracking", but he was pleased with the result.
He said many of his clients had wound back their ewe numbers in recent years because of the drought and were more recently looking to restock their breeding numbers.
"People are still trying to find more ewes, and people either can't find them or they are too expensive," he said.
"We've had two dry years and prior to that, we had a year of poor prices and people who reduced their numbers are now trying to consolidate and add to their flocks."
Two of the top-priced lots, lots 11 and 12, were purchased by Goulburn Murray Water, Shepparton, while third lot, Lot 2, was bought by Scott Walters, Euroa.
Goulburn Murray Water was also the largest volume buyer at the sale, taking home 11 rams in total.
Among the other volume buyers was Peter Thomas, Yarrawonga, who bought seven rams to a top price of $2600.
Mr James said a lot of the stud's clients use a Poll Dorset ram over Merinos to get a terminal lamb.
"Buyers certainly bought on figures because rams that had better figures sold better than expected," he said.
"The Majella stud is well known for having rams with good eye muscle area to liveweight ratio to produce a high-yielding carcase.
"People who have sheep want good rams, but there are a lot of people out there who want good ewes but are struggling to find them."
He said the stud prided itself on the longevity and performance of its rams.
Elders Euroa livestock manager Joe Allen said the quality of rams had stayed consistent through the stud's transition from the Sammon family to the James family.
"The buyers didn't have the appetite for the volume they have had in previous years, but there was a lot more intense demand on those top-end rams," Mr Allen said.
"We had three rams make the top price, and many more make above $3000."
He said commercial lamb producers actively targeted figures, looking for rams with strong eye muscle area, good length and width, and positive carcase attributes to produce quality terminal suckers.
"Goulburn Murray Water like these rams because they are well-bred, honest rams suitable for producing earlier-finishing lambs with higher carcase weights and yields," he said.
