Big trek for top genetics as Ferny Hill Sheepmaster rams head interstate

Clean composite rams with a commercial focus delivered solid bids on Friday, September 25 at Ferny Hill SheepMaster Stud, Gundagai.

Of the 50 self-shedding rams, 43 sold to average $2465, with the top price of $10,000 achieved twice - both sales headed for Twin Peaks SheepMaster Stud, Gnowellen, WA, bordering the Stirling Range near Albany.

The stud bought a third ram for $2500.

All remaining rams were sold after the auction.

Top-selling lot was tag number 6002, a twin by Ferny Hill Syndicate, weighing 90 kilograms at 13 months and presenting with a 36 square centimetre eye muscle area, fat depth of 5.5mm and adult scrotal circumference (ASC) of 34cm to return a score of 49 out of 50 in the Garnett Scoring System (GSS).

Equal-top selling lot, tag 6003, also by Ferny Hill Syndicate, weighed 89 kilograms at 13 months, and presented with a 37 square centimetre eye muscle area, a fat depth of 4.5mm and adult scrotal circumference (ASC) of 36cm. His GSS score was 49 out of 50.

A heavy Maverick twin ram sold for $7750 in tag number 1785, 98kg at 13 months, with an EMA of 39sq cm, fat depth 5mm and an ASC of 34cm with a perfect GSS of 50.

He sold to Westleigh White Suffolk and SheepMaster stud, Lake Wongan, Vic, located in cropping country between Ballarat and Hamilton.

Father and son co-principals of Westleigh, Ian and James Porter, said their new ram would bring volume and structure to their flock, as well as outcross genetics through the Maverick sire, as they had previously employed the well-known Monarch bloodline.

Having hosted their own ram sale the day before, a 4am start and a seven hour drive to Ferny Hill was a mark of their commitment to bid.

"We like SheepMaster for their ease of handling," James Porter said.

"Our clients tend to put them over their other shedding breeds, like Aussie White and Wiltipoll to clean them up a bit.

"He was a fair lump of a ram with enough muscling but structurally correct for his size and age."

Ian Porter said the ram was "thickset with moderate length".

"We don't like them too big and rangy in our cold climate because they become too hard to finish," he said.

"In our cropping area clients want shedding sheep because they are easier to maintain.

"The SheepMasters have a bit of go about them. They are terrific mothers and even in our cold the survivability of lambs is much better than expected.

"We see the price of prime lamb holding up. There is a lack of ewe numbers and it will take a while to breed back up."

A volume buyer was a commercial producer from Wellington, who took home nine SheepMaster rams to average $2389. A Condobolin buyer took home six with an average of $1500.

Ferny Hill stud principal Aaron Nicholls said the sale was a success, up on last year's top price of $8500, with increasing stud and commercial interest.

"They stand up well in the feet, which can be a complaint with some of the desert breeds, but not with the SheepMaster," he said.

"We aim to produce a fully shedding ram that is grass fed only, no shearing at any stage of life and to produce ewes that wean as many lambs as possible.

"Our number one goal is fertility followed by structure and then growth."

Mr Nicholls said the SheepMaster breed was all about options.

"They have the structure and carcase to be able to produce a heavy young sucker or, if the season permits, grow them out to export weights of 75-80kg without going to fat," he said.

"Our April/May-drop ewe lambs are averaging 44kgs and will be joined in November.

"Our commercial ewes of 3500 in 2025 have achieved lambing percentages of 155-160 per cent to ewes joined over the last three years.

"Our 2025 wethers averaged $340 for the whole drop as the ability to grow them into export lambs was available.

"Going forward we will be joining 5000 ewes in 2026-27. "

The sale was hosted by Delta Livestock and Property, Young, with Cam Rosser calling the bids.