Performance data drives top-price at Etiwanda Dorper sale at Cobar
A Queensland buyer paid the top price at the 18th annual Etiwanda White Dorper on-property ram sale near Cobar on Friday, September 25.
Andrew and Megan Mosely sold 108 of 117 rams offered to a top of $10,000 and an average of $3046.
Buyers from across western NSW, Qld, Vic and WA competed on-property and online through AuctionsPlus.
The $10,000 top-priced ram, tag 255256, was a 13-month-old single by Etiwanda Pampas 226712, with a maternal carcase production (MCP) index of 152.5.
He recorded Australian sheep breeding values (ASBVs) of +7.1 for weaning weight, +11.4 for post-weaning weight, +0.8 for post-weaning fat and +3.8 for post-weaning eye muscle depth. His fat and eye muscle figures both ranked in the top 10pc.
The ram also received the maximum 25-point score from independent classer Andrew Hodgson.
Mike Hetherington, Bimbimbi, Thallon, Qld, bought the ram through Nutrien St George as part of a four-ram purchase averaging $5500.
A long-term repeat buyer at Etiwanda, Mr Hetherington said the combination of the ram's data and physical attributes suited their breeding program.
"I had some others marked too, based off their figures. Then when I saw him physically, he was pick of them," Mr Hetherington said.
While the data helped narrow his selections, he preferred to inspect rams in person before buying.
Darren Beveridge, Gleneve, Baradine, bought six rams for an average of $2863.
His first selection criteria was for twin-born animals before considering shedding ability and birth weight.
The Beveridge family returns to Etiwanda about every five years and retains its rams for four to five years.
Mr Beveridge said they planned to join about 400 ewes this season and generally aimed for about 200pc lambing, depending on seasonal conditions.
Etiwanda principal Andrew Mosely said there had been strong support both on-property and online, with buyers looking for clean-shedding rams with structural soundness and doing ability.
North West Brahman Partnership Trust, Morella, Cumborah, was the volume buyer, securing 23 rams on AuctionsPlus, via their agent Nutrien Walgett, at an average of $2717.
Australian Green Properties, through Nutrien Cobar, bought 12 rams at an average of $2125.
DP and JN Hague, Tara Station, Euabalong West, secured 10 rams through Nutrien Cobar at an average of $2700.
"We want rams born and bred in the country they're going to work in, raised on natural pastures," Dean Hague said.
Mr Hague said early maturity and the ability to lay down fat on natural pasture were also important selection traits.
Return buyers Andrew and Amy Turnbull, Mooculta Station, Bourke, bought seven rams at an average of $2643 through Luke Scales, Upper Western Livestock & Land.
The Turnbulls have bought rams from Etiwanda for 18 years, since the stud's inception, and selected this year's team for growth, size and depth.
Etiwanda 2026 Spring Ram Sale
Andrew and Megan Mosely, with daughters Emily and Jess, run the White Dorper stud as part of a 34,000ha owned and leased operation in the Western Division, carrying between 18,000 and 25,000 DSE depending on seasonal conditions.
All sale rams were rangeland raised at Etiwanda, born unassisted and had never been shorn. Every ram carried ASBVs, with 46pc of the catalogue ranking in the top 20pc for MCP.
Rams with an MCP index of 150 or higher accounted for 16 sales and averaged $4281, compared with $2832 for the remaining 92 rams.
Mr Hodgson assessed the rams for legs and feet, size, conformation and skin quality, with 70 of the catalogued rams receiving his maximum score of 25.
John Settree, Nutrien Ag Solutions NSW stud stock manager, and Hamish Adlington, Nutrien Ag Solutions Russell Cobar, shared the auctioneering duties.
Selling agents were Nutrien Ag Solutions, with the online interface provided by AuctionsPlus.
