Strong demand for maternal genetics at Chrome's four-breed spring sale
Strong competition from return clients, new buyers and agents delivered a positive result at Chrome Sheep Studs' 18th annual on-property spring ram sale at Hamilton earlier this month.
In total, 497 of 513 rams sold to achieve a 97 per cent clearance, averaging $2982, supported by 103 registered bidders from across western Victoria and south-east South Australia.
The Chromedale maternal composite offering was a standout, achieving a 100pc clearance, with a top price of $5200 reached seven times and an average of $4170, which was $1400 higher than last year.
Chrome Sheep Studs principal Matt Tonissen said the result reflected the value clients placed on the stud's maternal composite genetics.
"It's really the perfect storm - the high cost of replacement ewes is one factor, and I think a few fellas didn't buy as many rams last year on the back of the dry season and reduced ewe numbers," Mr Tonissen said.
"Most producers have had a much better season and are looking to build numbers in their ewe flocks.
"There's two ways to do that - buy them or breed them - and buying them is an expensive option at the moment."
He said the evenness of the Chromedale offering had also been a key factor in the strong result.
"That was the good feedback we received," he said.
"There were plenty of guys who commented on how even they were, actually making their job easier, as they could buy rams on the data they wanted and still get a uniform line of sheep."
Long-time clients Craig and Jacinta Grant, Pigeon Ponds, paid the $5200 top price for two rams, as did Kyle Cordy, Castlemaine, and Owen Dyson, Bessiebelle.
Stuart, Edwina and George Shand, Shand Ag, Langkoop, also paid the top price, purchasing 21 Chromedale rams at an average of $4476.
The Shands have been buying Chromedale rams from the Tonissen family for more than 10 years and run about 8000 self-replacing composite ewes.
They join about 2000 ewes a year to Chromedale rams, along with their ewe lambs, with between 1800-2500 ewe lambs also joined to Chromedales, while the remainder are joined to terminal sires.
"The big benefit for us with the Chrome stud is that we can go and buy a number of rams, put them in the yards when we get them home and they're all true to type," Mr Shand said.
"They all look the same and, structurally, they're some of the best sheep I've ever seen.
"The beauty of the Chromedale is that they're medium-framed sheep, so they're very efficient to run.
"They also punch lambs out like you wouldn't believe, they're highly fertile and the growth rates are amazing."
He said the family assessed rams both visually and on their Australian Sheep Breeding Values, looking closely at traits including post-weaning weight, post-weaning fat depth and fertility indexes, while also selecting for a moderate birth weight.
"Lamb survival is one of our biggest profit drivers and we intentionally select animals with a positive post-weaning fat depth because we believe that gives us greater survivability," he said.
The terminal offering also produced a strong result, with the top price of $2000 reached 12 times.
The stud's largest-ever offering of ICON 25 rams achieved a full clearance, with top-priced rams purchased by Delta Pastoral, Tyrendarra East, and the Dyson and Grant families.
The ICON Southie offering also achieved a 100pc clearance, topping at $1800, while the 88 ICON Poll Dorset rams recorded an 82pc clearance, with a top price of $2000 paid by Woolanook, Cowangie.
Free to Fly, which operates properties in the Digby and Merino areas, was Chrome's largest buyer, purchasing 40 rams, comprising 30 Chromedales at an average of $3800 and 10 ICON Southies at an average of $1250.
Other volume buyers included Paul Phillips, Glenthompson, who purchased 21 ICON 25 rams, paying a top of $1600 and an average of $1100, while Jakabul, Apsley, purchased 20 rams, including five Chromedales at an average of $3800 and 15 Poll Dorsets, topping at $1200.
Capital Livestock & Property, Hamilton, conducted the sale.
