Strong lamb job ensures step up for Belmont and Curlew Valley ram sale

The joint Belmont and Curlew Valley Suffolk and Border Leicester ram sale laid down strong improvements in average and clearance last week, but it was thought some potential clients looking to build up Merino ewe numbers may have kept a lid on proceedings.

Held at the Mount Pleasant Showgrounds, the Suffolk ram offering from Belmont's Kroehn family and Curlew Valley's Rachel Chirgwin sold to a high of $3200 and averaged $1486, with 60 of 85 rams sold at the fall of the final hammer.

This was a $403 rise in average on 2025, with six more rams sold.

Of Belmont's Border Leicesters, 12 of 15 rams sold to an $1800 high and $1333 average, a $188 rise on last year.

The sale got off to a strong start on rams rated as stud prospects, with two of the first three making $3000 or more.

Lot 3 from Belmont notched the sale high at $3200 to Sunnyvale Props, Eden Valley.

Richard Kroehn said the 104 kilogram August 2025-born Suffolk, from a Belmont sire and dam, will join Sunnyvale Props other Suffolk rams in being used over 4.5 and 5.5-year-old Dohne ewes, with the resulting lambs sold as suckers.

Sunnyvale's two purchases averaged $3000.

A few big ram orders provided a solid floor across much of the Suffolk offering, with an order through TDC Keith for four separate clients resulting in a 17 ram buy up, averaging $1470.

Bindmurra, Blanchetown, were the sale's volume solo buyer, finishing with 13 rams, averaging $1123.

Bindmurra's Aleck Zadow said Bindmurra runs a 4000 head Merino flock at Blanchetown, with the Suffolk rams used over 5.5yo and cull ewes.

They also run another 2000 ewes at Mount Little Station, Hawker.

He said they had found Suffolks hardier than White Suffolks on their country, with the crossbred lambs generally sold as suckers into feedlots.

Another volume buyer was Warrenda Props, through Elders Roseworthy, with 12 rams, averaging $1191.

The volume buyer on the Border Leicesters was D&M&C Schultz, Cambrai, selecting six rams, averaging $1466.

Many agreed the sale was good value for money given prices being made on lambs.

Belmont's Neil Kroehn said he was pleasantly surprised by the bidding activity on the first ten rams and thought the sale settled into a pattern of normality thereafter.

"We always get a few passed in and they'll get sold later no doubt," he said.

"The sale start was a reflection of the season and the price of stock at the moment. The sheep industry is booming."

Mr Kroehn said a feature of the sale was having so many rams offered being by the Warra-J 211234 sire they previously purchased at the Royal Adelaide Show, with the investment 'more than paying off'.

There was the odd lull during Curlew Valley's Suffolk offering, with Ms Chirgwin saying it was not totally unexpected given a push by producers to rebuild Merino ewe numbers during a good season and after a period of drought.

"There was more (rams) passed in than I'd like, but it was clear people were chasing a type and they were prepared to pay for that type which was good to see," she said.

"They were after rams that were early-maturing, thick set, and with that heavy yielding carcase that produces those early-maturing sucker lambs."

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Fawcett Mount Pleasant, with Nutrien stud stock's Andrew Wilson doing the auctioneering.